Once Upon a Time: School's Out!
by MissiB
Summary: Once Upon a time, someone had a crazy idea to turn all of our beloved fairytale characters into 19 year old college students. There's laughter, tears, romance (It's OUAT people) and shock. How will the teenagers of Fairytale College get on? Rated T for mild language.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time does not belong to me! All characters and references to the show belong to ABC and Channel 5.**_

This is my take on what it would be like if all the fairytale characters were modern-day 19 year old college students and/or teachers. There's laughter, tears, romance (It's OUAT people) and lots of little surprises. Enjoy!

Once Upon a Time: Schools Out!

Once Upon a Time, someone had a crazy idea to turn all of our most beloved fairytale characters into the students and teachers of Fairytale College. Trials, tribulations, and meddling parents await them. How will they get on?

_Beep Beep Beep._

Nineteen year old Snow White Blanchard groaned and rolled over in bed and slammed her hand down on her alarm clock, shutting off the beeping noise it was making to announce that, yes, it WAS 8:30 am. She then sat up in bed, stretching and brushing her long black hair out of her eyes.

"Hey" she said, nudging the body next to her "Time to get up"

James Nolan-or, better known by the nickname she had given him when they met, Charming- groaned "No" and then snuggled deeper into his pillow.

Snow White smiled "Come on, we'll be late!" she said, nudging her boyfriend again. He moaned and pressed his face into the pillow.

Snow White's smile changed from sweet to mischievous, and she leaned down and kissed James' naked shoulder, she felt him stiffen as her red lips made contact with his skin and then started to progress up his neck and towards his cheek.

At the last minuet James turned onto his back, definitely awake now. Snow White laughed and pressed a kiss to his lips

"Good morning" she said impishly.

James sighed and lifted his head to kiss her again "'Morning" he said when they broke apart, a grin on his face.

Snow White giggled and with a light shove pushed herself off of him and out of the bed.

"Like I said, we don't wanna miss class!" she said, starting to get dressed. She heard James sigh, and then squealed as he grabbed her and pulled her back into the bed, kissing her in a way that made her head spin.

"We can always be a little late" he whispered before pulling her closer to him...

OUAT

Student Body President Regina Mills was sat in front of her vanity mirror, looking at her perfect reflection as she did her make-up. Her clear peachy skin, her full, dark red lips, her huge dark and shiny eyes that were framed by long thick lashes, and her short dark brown hair that was styled in a way that fanned around her head like a flower.

Beautiful.

More beautiful than anyone on campus.

Definitely more beautiful than Snow White Blanchard.

Regina gritted her teeth as that thought entered her head. _Snow White..._

"Fairest of them all...Ugh!" she sneered, and turned away from the expensive mirror to look at the expensive clock on her wall.

8:35 am.

Regina sighed "Time to face the mortals" she muttered, thinking of the meeting she had to lead today while the entire student council just ate up her every word like the mindless trolls they were. Lifting herself off of her chair and grabbing her bag and laptop, the Student Body President walked out of her dorm room-which resided in a College Building her Daddy, Henry Mills, had paid for. Meaning that she got the biggest, most utilised room on campus.

As Regina closed the door, she saw something that made her blood boil.

On her door, where the name "Regina Mills" was printed in swirly gold writing, someone had crossed out her name with a black marker and written **"Evil Queen"**

With a furious snarl, Regina slammed the door.

OUAT

"...so do the brave thing, and bravery will follow. No matter how scary a situation might be, be it a declaration, a confrontation, or a proposal, you'll never know what the result will be until you do it.

Until next time,

Belle French"

Belle saved her article for the Fantasy College newspaper-The Mirror-and glanced at the time.

8:40 am.

Belle stuffed her laptop into her pretty blue bag, brushed out her long chestnut hair, and moved towards her door.

Then she noticed the small, slim black rectangle on her desk. Belle paused, and then picked up the box, realising that she would be late, but the curiosity was too much.

When Belle opened the box she gasped in delight. Residing inside the box on a plush velvet cushion was a small, crystal rose, attached to a thin golden chain.

Laughing with delight, Belle picked up the necklace out of the box, and it was then she noticed the small rectangular card inside.

Still holding the necklace in one hand, Belle put down the box and picked up the card. On it was written:

"Happy Birthday Sweetheart. X"

Belle smiled happily as she clasped the chain around her neck. _He remembered!_

OUAT

"You said that you'd have it for me, _today"_

"I know but I just need a week to-"

"_Today, _George. You said you'd have the money for me _today, _not in a week. You know this means I'll have to take my property back"

"Rumplestiltskin, please, I just need more time!"

Rumplestiltskin Gold was stood in George Spencer's room, and he was bored. A while ago he had given this idiotic boy a programme for his computer that allowed him to hack into the Lecturers grading criteria and change his abysmal grades. George had promised to give him the rest of the $500 he owed him today, and he had not delivered.

Rumplestiltskin moved past George and went to his computer. He put his hand in the disc release.

"No, wait!" George cried, but Rumplestiltskin wasn't listening. Seconds later he had the disc in his hand.

"Hey" Rumplestiltskin said in his thick Scottish accent as he put the disc into a case and slipped it into his pocket "Look on the bright side. You can always study!"

Rumplestiltskin laughed at the desperate look on Georges face. This nineteen year old looked ready to cry!

"Rumplestiltskin, please don't-" he started, but Rumplestiltskin cut across him.

"I'm sorry, George but I have to leave. I don't want to be late for my lecture" and with a smirk, he left.

OUAT

"Hey, where did you get that necklace?" Snow White asked Belle, who had been subconsciously fingering the chain around her neck while they were walking through campus towards their lecture hall.

"Oh, uh, what?" Belle asked, letting go of the chain. But it was too late now.

Snow White laughed good-naturedly at her friend "The necklace! That thing around your neck? Where did you get it, I've never seen it before"

"Yeah, it's so pretty!" Ella Boyd, the pretty blonde girl from Snow White's dorm said. "I love the flower" she added, reaching out to touch it.

Belle smiled "It's a rose. I got it for my birthday today" she turned to Snow White "That reminds me, thank-you _so _much for that new book. I've been dying to read it for ages now!"

Snow White smiled back"No problem. Happy 19th Belle"

"Thanks. Can you remind me to thank Ruby for the present she got me?"

"What did she get you?" Ella asked eagerly.

"Rose perfume"

"Ooh! Nice!"

"Excuse me!" Snow White said, turning both girls attention back to her. Belle's brow furrowed slightly.

"What?"

"Who's the necklace from, Belle?" Snow White demanded, and then gasped aloud as the newsletter reporter ducked her head and blushed, a smile creeping onto her lips.

"Oh my God, it's from _him!" _she said, and Ella gasped, and looked at Belle with a open-mouthed smile of realisation.

"_Is it?" _she asked, and they both gasped excitedly when Belle nodded.

"Your secret boyfriend!" Ella squealed.

"Oh, Belle, you _have _to tell us who he is!" Snow White begged, but Belle shook her head.

"Not yet!"

"Why not?" both girls whined simultaneously, and Belle sighed in amused expiration.

"Because...we don't want to go public yet!"

"Oooh!" they groaned, and Belle laughed.

"You can see his argument though" came a vindictive voice from ahead of them "Why _anyone _would want to admit that they're in a relationship with _you _is just mind boggling!"

All three girls looked up to see the Student Body President and well known spoiled-little-rich-girl, Regina Mills, standing ahead of them. Her arms were folded and there was a nasty smirk on her face.

Snow White glared at Regina as she felt Belle stiffen. She stepped forward.

"Piss off, Regina" she practically growled. Regina's smirk just grew wider.

"I'm just saying, the day that someone goes for a little hermit like her..." she trailed off, and Belle narrowed her eyes in a glare.

"I think they'd rather me than the College Psycho. Poisoned anyone lately, Regina?" she said sharply, and the other girl's face turned hard and mean. She looked just about ready to rip Belle a new one, when James Nolan and Thomas Herman, both dressed in the football jackets they wore when they weren't playing on their football team-The Royals-appeared from behind the girls. Thomas, Ella's boyfriend, moved protectively to Ella's side, while James did likewise with Snow White. They both looked defensively at Regina.

"Everything O.K here?" James asked.

Regina sniffed, realising she was massively outnumbered but not wanting to admit defeat, and for the last time looked at Belle and especially Snow White with utter disdain.

"Don't worry, James. Nothing _you _need to worry about" she said in a voice that was so falsely bright it practically shone. She then turned, and gracefully walked away.

"What a bitch" Thomas said, wrapping his arms around Ella from behind and kissing her cheek, which caused her to giggle and blush.

"Yeah" Snow White and Belle agreed in unison, then Snow White turned to James.

"So, how's the training going for the football final?" she asked, and James inclined his head slightly.

"It's going good, the guys are working really hard"

Snow White grinned "You making them work hard, Charming?" she asked teasingly.

James smiled back at her "I'm the Captain, Snow. I do what I have to to make a good team"

"Yeah, we might actually _defeat _the Ogres when they come for the Final this time" Thomas said, and Ella patted his shoulder soothingly.

"And we'll be right there on the sidelines when you do" Ella said, inclining her head to Snow White before giving Thomas a swift kiss.

"Where else would you expect a couple of Cheer-Leaders to be?" Belle said, quickly taking in the gold and purple cheer-leading uniforms Snow White and Ella were wearing.

Belle checked her watch as they either gave a small smile or chuckled lightly at her comment. She gasped.

"Oh God, guys we have to go. Class is going to start in five minuets"

After several muttered curses and fumbling around for dropped bags, they made their way to their classes.

As Belle and Snow White hurried over to class, Snow White said to her:

"Hey, you never did say who your mystery boyfriend is"

Belle laughed and rolled her eyes. The girl was like a dog with a bone.

OUAT

Fifteen minuets later, Snow White was in a lecture hall with Ella, listening and taking notes as Ms Gorhm talked about English Literature.

Ms Gorhm was in full flow, discussing the double meanings authors might use to portray good and evil in their books, when the door slammed open and a figure walked through the door, causing most of the class to look up to see who had arrived.

Ms Gorhm stopped the lecture, and sent a hard look at the new arrival.

"Rumplestiltskin Gold, you are ten minuets late and you have completely disrupted my lecture!" she snapped, hands on her hips.

Snow White-along with the rest of the class-watched as the illegal computer-programme dealer arched an eyebrow at the lecturer.

"Yes. It seems I have" he said nonchalantly, moving up the stairs and sitting down at the back of the class. Ms Gorhm made a disgusted noise and continued with her lecture.

Regina, who sat behind Rumplestiltskin during this one class they took together, kicked the back of his chair when he sat down.

Rumplestiltskin turned to look at her hate-filled glare. He grinned.

"You know, I hear that saying "Hey" is also a good way to get someones attention" he said in a whisper. Regina's look intensified.

"I know it was you!" she hissed, and Rumplestiltskin put on a look of innocent confusion.

"Regina, I'm certain I don't have a clue what you're talking about"

"You were the one who graffitied on my door!" she snapped, her voice rising slightly. Rumplestiltskin's grin just grew "My dear, you have my word that if I wanted to get under your skin, I wouldn't be _nearly _that subtle. Now _do _stop talking to me, this conversation is eating up precious moments of my life" and he turned back to feign an interest in Ms Gohrms lecture.

Regina frowned. If it wasn't him-and she still wasn't convinced that it wasn't-who was it?

At that moment, Regina was distracted by a tapping noise. She looked a few rows down, and saw her supposed friend, the blonde, curly haired and blue eyed Maleficent Pyro, looking bored and supporting her chin on the table with one hand.

And with the other, she was tapping a thin black permanent marker pen on her table.

As though she felt her looking Maleficent turned her head and, when she saw the look of outrage, she grinned a huge evil grin that showed her pearly teeth. She then lifted the pen slightly and waggled it in the air before turning her attention back to Ms Gohrms lecture.

Regina worked to keep the rage that was bubbling inside her contained. Didn't everyone know by now, that _n_o_-one_ made her look like an idiot and got away with it?

Regina plotted throughout the rest of the lecture. And by the time Ms Gorhm had snapped at Sleepy Jenkins for falling asleep in the lecture-again-she already knew exactly what she was going to do to wipe that smirk off of Maleficent's face.

_**I wonder what Regina will do to Maleficent? And who do you think Belle's mystery boyfriend is? (Yeah, because it's going to be **_**so ****_difficult to work out...)_**

_**O.k, so this is my first chapter, please read and review as whether or not this continues rests purely on your opinion!**_

_**I should also point out, for this I decided to not have Regina and Daniel even meet yet. I have *ahem* plans for them later on.**_

_**BUT IT ALL RESTS ON YOU! If you decide that this is a load of crap, please tell me and I will automatically kill it. If not, expect an update sometime next week.**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time does not belong to me! All characters and references to the show belong to ABC and Channel 5**_

Once Upon a Time: Schools Out! Chapter 2

"I swear to God, Mr Boss! THAT'S NOT MINE!"

"Then why was it found in _your room?"_

It wasn't a pretty sight. Everyone in the corridor of the Mills College Dorm was watching as Maleficent screamed protests at the short and portly Dean, Mr Boss-or as most knew him, Mr Bossy-as he held a little cling-film wrap of some sort of green substance in front of her.

"Miss Pyro, are you aware of how long you can get in Jail for possession of Marijuana?" the Dean was saying. And everyone continued to stare as Maleficent almost screamed in frustration.

"It's. Not. _Mine!" _she yelled, but Mr Boss simply shook his head.

"Miss Pyro, I'm willing not to call the police as long as you pack your things, _now, _and leave the College"

"But-"

"What's it gonna be, Miss Pyro?"

Regina stood by her bedroom door-which still bore the words "Evil Queen"-and smirked, watching the scene between Maleficent and the Dean in delight. After a few moments of looking absolutely livid, Maleficent roughly pushed past Mr Bossy, and Regina could hear her furiously starting to pack her things while on the phone to her parents.

Regina chuckled softly and went into her room, she then pulled her black cell phone out of her pocket and dialled the number of Gene Glass. The editor and reporter of that ridiculous College newsletter, The Mirror.

The boy was also hopelessly infatuated with Regina, something she took advantage of whenever she could.

"Hey, Gene?" she said, making her voice sweet and inviting. He lapped it up like a puppy-dog.

"Y-yeah, Regina?" he said, stuttering a little from the sheer joy of being able to hear the voice of _Regina Mills._

"Can you help me with something? Someone wrote on my door in permanent marker and I..." she sighed like a helpless little girl "I just, _cannot _get it off"

"Yeah! Of course I will! I'll be right there!"

"Good" she said, and prepared to hang up. Then his voice came through again:

"Hey did...did it work?"

Regina nearly laughed at his worried tone "Yes, it did. Thank-you _so _much for planting that stuff on her. It worked like a charm"

"Oh" he said, his voice doing nothing to hide the guilt he felt. The boy was such a weakling.

Ten minuets later, Regina was watching as Gene scrubbed at the offending words at her door.

"Be sure not to leave any marks, Gene" she said "Everything needs to be perfect for tomorrow"

"Yes Regina" he said, nodding "Although...wouldn't she understand? It's not like _you _were the one who did it" he added, looking over at her.

Regina scowled, and Gene got all shifty eyed and concentrated on removing the door-graffiti.

"She wouldn't understand, Gene" she said in a low voice "She _never, _understands"

Gene sighed, looking over at her again "You know, what happened with Snow White, the whole poisoning thing, it was three months ago"

Regina stiffened, _how dare he..._

"And as for what happened after-"

Fury bubbled inside her. He had no right to talk about _that_. None at all.

"Shut. _Up" _she said, her voice soft and dangerous. Gene got the hint and went back to scrubbing. Credit to him, the black writing was almost gone.

"We don't talk about that, Gene" she continued, and he nodded.

"Yeah, I-"

"_Ever. _Do you understand me?" she pressed.

Gene nodded "I understand"

Regina breathed out "Good"

OUAT

"Thank-you, Papa" Belle said happily as she walked to her dorm house. Her father had just rung her to say Happy Birthday, and as she approached the door, Belle started to say goodbye to him.

"O.k Papa, I've gotta go now. I love you, bye!" she said, she then hung up the phone, put it in her pocket, and walked through the door.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Belle gasped, nearly dropping her French books in shock at the scream from her friends. The lights in the darkened sitting room had been thrown on to reveal the huge party her friends had organised for her while she was at her French Lecture. There were balloons and tassels on the walls, a banner across the ceiling that read **"Happy 19****th**** Birthday!"** and someone had clearly used a party popper because there were little tissue-paper streams all over the furniture.

"Oh my God!" Belle gasped in delight, dropping her bag and raising her hands to her face "You did this all for _me?"_

Snow White-who was holding a chocolate cake with the number "19" on the surface in white icing-laughed "Of course we did!"

"Happy birthday, Belle!" Ruby Lucas said, bounding forward in a fantastic red dress to give Belle a hug.

Someone put on some music, and two hours later the party was in full swing. People were dancing in the corridors, playing drinking games in the kitchen, and making out in the bedrooms.

After a while, Belle broke away from dancing with Ruby and Snow White, gasping, saying she needed some fresh air.

"O.k then!" Ruby said, and she was soon led away by Peter Lupus.

"Are you alright?" Snow White asked loudly over the music, and Belle nodded.

"Yeah, I just need to get some _air!" _she gasped, and she walked towards the garden at the back of the house as James took his turn dancing with the black haired beauty.

Belle stood outside, gasping at the sudden cold air. The garden was deserted, and she twirled the rose on her necklace.

Belle sighed, the party was amazing, and she hadn't lied to Snow White, she _was_ O.k and having a great time.

She just couldn't help wishing that _he _had come too. She hadn't seen him at all today. The only communication they'd had was the card that had come with the necklace. She missed him.

"Belle" came a voice from behind her, and she jumped and turned around.

Stood behind her, dressed in black jeans and a dark grey shirt, was Rumplestiltskin Gold. He was looking at her with his dark brown eyes.

"You know" he said, walking towards her "You shouldn't be out here by yourself. Who knows what could happen to a girl, out here, _all alone..."_ he trailed off when he was stood right in front of her, bare inches separating them. Belle smirked.

"Well then, it's a good thing you're here to protect me" she said, looking up at him with a smile.

Rumplestiltskin laughed softly, looked behind him to check there was no-one watching, and bent his head and kissed her, his lips gentle on her soft mouth, his hands moving to rest on her neck.

Belle's own hands moved to his chest, stopping just short of his shoulders. She tilted her head and he moaned slightly as she deepened the kiss.

Belle felt she might explode with happiness. He was here, he had come for her birthday!Everything was so perfect...

After a while they broke apart, their breathing coming a little faster. Rumplestiltskin touched the chain around Belle's neck.

"You're wearing my gift, I see" he said, and Belle shot him a dazzling smile.

"It's beautiful Rumple, I love it!" she exclaimed, touching the rose pendant "Although, it did cause a stir with Snow and Ella"

Rumplestiltskin arched an eyebrow "Oh?" he said, and Belle laughed.

"Yeah. They figured out who it was from, and they're _dying _to know who my Secret Boyfriend is" she breathed, and it was Rumplestiltskin's turn to laugh at the image of Snow White and Ella's faces if they discovered that their best friend was seeing the most feared person at College.

"Well, maybe you should tell them about me" he said, his hands still on her shoulders. Belle's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Seriously?" she said "You want me to tell them?"

Rumplestiltskin smiled, and brushed a lock of hair away from her neck. When they had started going out, they had agreed not to tell anyone about the relationship until they were ready. They both had reputations to uphold and the inevitable gossip that would ensure was the last thing either of them wanted. Rumplestiltskin was still unwilling to say anything, and judging from her reaction, neither was Belle.

"Not yet, Sweetheart" he said. Belle sighed a little in relief, and reached up to kiss him again, long and passionately.

They broke apart, and she leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"Will...will you stay?" she breathed.

"Only if you want me too" he whispered back, and he once again claimed her mouth, the blaring music and mirthful screams from the party surrounding them.

OUAT

"Hey, Snow!"

Snow White turned away from Charming as Ruby walked out of the raging party and into the semi-silence of the kitchen. She lifted her hand in a small wave.

"Hey Ruby" she said.

"How come you're not dancing with anyone?" Charming asked her, and Ruby shrugged smugly.

"Eh, I got bored, so I decided to come in here for a drink" she said, picking up a cup and taking a sip before walking over to Snow White and Charming.

Snow White laughed as Charming shook his head, but Ruby was suddenly distracted by something she could see out of the window.

"Oh my God!" she said, pointing out of the window at the garden "Someone's making-out out there!"

"Oh Ruby, really?" Snow White sighed. Right before she too looked out of the window. She gasped.

"Oh my!" she cried.

"What? What?!" Ruby exclaimed, and Snow White pointed dramatically out of the window.

"Oh my God, that's Belle!" she said, eyes wide.

"_What?!" _Ruby said, taking a closer look out of the window. Yes, it was indeed Belle French stood out there, feverishly kissing someone who was obscured by the dorms shadow.

"Holy crap!" she said.

"Who do you think it is?" Snow White asked her, and Ruby gave her a look.

"Oh, come on, Snow!" she said "It's obvious, isn't it? Her Secret Boyfriend!"

"I can't see who it is!" Charming suddenly said, also looking out of the window. Snow White slapped him lightly on the arm.

"Don't look!" she scolded.

Charming looked scandalised "But...you!"

"Girls can look, Guys can't" Ruby said seriously. Leaving him completely bewildered.

"So anyway" Snow White said to distract them from the window "Ruby, how's your project for Animal Studies going?"

"Oh, brilliantly" she said beaming "We're doing a study on wolves. It's really great!"

"Cool" Snow White nodded.

Just then, Peter Lupus came over to Ruby again and whispered something in her ear. Ruby giggled and looked at Snow White. Who nodded.

"Go on" she said, and Ruby grinned and was led away by Peter.

Snow White turned back to Charming, a small smile on her face. He smiled back.

"You know, the game's next week" she said, and a small crease developed on his forehead "Are you nervous?"

Charming shook his head slightly "Every time we played them, The Ogre's have beaten us. Morale's a little thin to the ground"

Snow White touched his arm "Charming, those guys are not invincible. The way you guys have been working...it's no competition" she reassured him, reaching up and pressing a kiss to his lips.

Before she could pull away he deepened the kiss, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her in close. Snow White's arms wrapped around his neck, she opened her lips and let out a sigh.

They broke apart, and she whispered "You don't have to go back to your dorm tonight, do you?"

Charming shook his head "It's Saturday. Why would I need to get up early on a Saturday?" and in a swift move, he had brought Snow White's lips back to his.

OUAT

It was the next morning, and in true College fashion, after Belles party pretty much everyone had hooked up.

Ella rose her head up off of Thomas' chest and got out of bed, rubbing sleep from her eyes and pulling on her white dressing gown, her blonde hair tumbling down her back.

Yawning, she went to her bedroom window, and when she opened the curtain a terrible sight met her eyes.

In the distance she could see cars. Lots and lots of cars just about to enter campus.

And right at the head of them, was her Stepmother's Volvo.

_Oh my God. _She thought in horror. Her Stepmother. On campus.

_What the Hell is she doing here?! _

She then noticed that, behind the Volvo, she could see the black Jaguar that belonged to Thomas' father, and behind that was Ford that was driven by James' mom, and it triggered a memory of being informed of an event taking place that day.

Oh God, Parent Visitation.

_How could they have forgotten?_

Immediately, Ella ran to her bedside table to grab her phone. She nudged Thomas awake as she dialled Snow White's number.

OUAT

Snow White was woken by a ringing. Sleepily, she untangled herself from Charming's arms, and reached over to press her phone to her ear.

"Hello?" she said, sleep thick in her voice.

"Snow! It's Ella!" Ella's voice came through the phone, panicky and stressed. Snow fought to pay attention rather than sink back into sleep.

"Ella? What's wrong?"

"Our parents are here!"

Snow White's eyes properly snapped open.

"Oh God, Parent Visitation!"She glanced over at the still sleeping Charming.

_If my father sees this he'll have a heart attack!_

"Thomas, will you _please _wake up?!"

Ella's distracted voice brought Snow White back to the conversation.

"How much time to we have?" she asked urgently, already pulling on some clothes.

"Around ten minuets. Call everyone!"

Then she hung up.

"Charming!" Snow White snapped as she dialled Belle's number "Wake up!"

"Why?" Charming mumbled, not even opening his eyes.

"Your Mom's here!"

Within five seconds Charming was dressed out the door, and Snow White had her phone presed to her ear.

OUAT

"Hello?" Belle said sleepily when she answered the phone, leaning across Rumplestiltskin's sleeping form to get it.

"Belle, it's Snow. It's Parent Visitation. They're ten minuets away, and if you hooked up with anyone last night you need to get them out _now!" _and she hung up.

"Rumple, get up!" Belle said, sitting up and wrapping the sheet around her.

Rumplestiltskin opened his eyes. "What?" he said.

"Our parents are here!"

"_WHAT?!" _he sat up instantly, a look of panic on his face as Belle rapidly put on her clothes.

"It's Visitation! Oh God, I can't believe I forgot!"

Rumplestiltskin tugged on his jeans as Belle brushed out her hair in front of the mirror, pulling it into a high ponytail.

Suddenly, a terrible thought occurred to her.

"How are you going to get out?!" she said, turning to Rumplestiltskin as he pulled on his shirt. He looked momentarily panicked again, but then shrugged.

"No-one noticed when I came in, Belle. I'm assuming that everyone's going to be in too much of a panic to notice me leave!"

After pulling on his shoes, Rumplestiltskin hurtled with lightning speed out of Belle's room just as she picked up her phone to call Ruby.

"Ruby! It's Belle, listen it's-"

"Visitation, I know!" Ruby's stressed voice quickly cut her off "Snow already called me. We've got five minuets! Good luck!"

She then hung up.

After Ruby cut her off, Belle began to rapidly tidy her room, smoothing out the bedsheets and throwing dirty clothes in her wash hamper.

She then caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, and saw that she was still wearing Rumplestiltskin's necklace. As she took it off, she noticed something else.

Something on her neck.

A little, but definitely noticeable, raised red mark.

There was a hicky, on her neck.

OUAT

Regina frantically tidied her room, straightening everything on her dresser, arranging official folders from the student council, and even sweeping to get rid of any microscopic dirt.

The entire time, one thought was going through her head:

_MyMotherishereMyMotherishere MyMotherishere._

If Cora Mills found anything-_anything-_remotely wrong with Regina's room, she would be hearing about it for months.

And she was still mad at her anyway, despite the fact that she had been elected Student Body President and was a straight A student, all that Cora wanted was for Regina to find a future fiancée who had more money than God. She had made that clear by what she had said _last _Parent Visitation:

"_For goodness sake, Regina! You have been at that damned College for over a year now. You need __to start finding yourself a boy who is wealthy, and can keep you a kept woman!"_

Regina winced at the memory.

_And this visitation will probably be worse _she thought as she picked out her very best and most expensive clothes, _what with that whole business with Snow White, and what happened after-_

Regina shook her head. No. She couldn't think about that now, she had to make everything presentable. Everything _had _to be right.

_**Ok, Ok, don't hate me, I know how much of a pain in the arse a cliffhanger is, but don't worry because I've already started on chapter 3-in which I MAY be bringing back a certain Stable Boy- and it should be out sometime in the week, and yes, it will centre around the characters relationships with their parents. But don't worry, because there WILL be some plot development. Stay tuned, my lovelies!**_

_**Oh and by the way a HUGE thank-you to the lovely Nahbois68 for their idea's on what subjects the student's of Fairytale College could take. It was a big help and you are officially brilliant! X**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time does not belong to me! All characters and references to the show belong to ABC and Channel 5**_

Once Upon a Time: Schools Out! Chapter 3

The student's parents come to visit. For some, it's a pleasant experience. For others, it's a recipe for Disaster!

Regina stood at the school entrance as parents walked out of their cars and onto the school grounds. As they moved towards the school, she planted a huge fake smile on her face.

"Welcome to today's Parent Visitation" she said as parents walked onto campus "On behalf of the Student Body I would like to thank you all for coming and I hope you enjoy your visit. Refreshments will be served in the school assembly hall, which is the building to your right"

She said, gesturing to the hall. She continued to smile warmly, nodding politely at various parents as they walked in.

"Regina" came a voice from behind her.

Regina's smile froze. She turned around and saw her mother. The tall, terrifying Cora Mills, looking down at her.

Regina's father, Henry Mills, stood next to her. He greeted his daughter with a small smile, which she returned.

"Hi, Daddy" she said.

"Regina" her mother cut in before her father could answer and turned the attention back to her.

"Mother" Regina responded.

There was an awkward silence, then Cora arched her eyebrow.

"Well?" she said, expectation evident in her voice.

"...What?" Regina asked, confused.

Cora sighed irritably "Well, aren't you going to show us to your room?"

"Oh!" Regina gasped, and began leading her parents to the Mills dorm "Yes, yes of course"

Cora sighed again from behind her "Scatterbrained, as always" she muttered.

Regina suppressed her own sigh.

_Here we go..._

OUAT

_Knock Knock!_

"James?" said James' mother, her brunette, kind-eyed head peering around her son's door.

"Mom!" James said happily, opening the door and enveloping his mother in a hug, she laughed and returned it.

"I've missed you!" James said when they separated, he smiled down at her.

"I know, I've missed you too" his mother replied "How are you?"

James shrugged, hoping Mrs Nolan wouldn't notice he was sweating a little from the insane clean up he had had to do to five minuets before she arrived.

"I'm O.K. My grades are good, and the Final is next week, so..."

"Don't worry son, I know you'll do brilliantly" Mrs Nolan said with unflinching certainty.

James grinned.

"And how _are_ your grades?" she asked more seriously. James sighed.

"Mom, I just told you, my grades are fine"

She gave him a look, and James hastily changed his answer.

"I am! My last report said I got a B in Vet Medicine!"

"Good" she said sternly "It was hard enough to get you _in_ this college, James. I don't want you dropping out"

James nodded in understanding. His mother, who had a measly job that didn't pay well, had had to take out a huge loan to afford the College fares.

"Trust me, Mom. I'll keep my grades up" he reassured her.

"I know you will" Mrs Nolan smiled "And how is dear Snow White?" she asked.

Like she didn't already know. When James wasn't talking about school when he called home, he was talking about the Love of his Life, Snow White Blanchard.

She didn't mind though, the girl seemed lovely to her.

"Snow? Yeah, she's fine" James replied.

"Maybe we can go over to her dorm and I can catch up with her" Mrs Nolan suggested. But James stopped her as she made to move out of the room.

"Oh, we can't. I think she's got her Dad with her today"

OUAT

"Father!" Snow White cried with joy, she quickly bounded over to his parked car-after running like Hell to get there in time-and hugged her father.

"My darling Snow!" Leopold Blanchard laughed, gently patting his daughter on the back until they broke apart, and she looked into his kind, aged face. His white hair was sticking up all around his head. She had missed him so much.

"So, what have you been up to, my dear?" he asked as they started to walk along campus.

"Well, I made Captain of the cheer leading squad" Snow White said, smiling modestly.

"Snow! That's wonderful news!" Mr Blanchard said, beaming.

"And my Lit teacher told me that I did really well on my paper, so my grades are good" she added, giving him a knowing smile as he tried to look innocently wounded.

"Did I even ask?"

"You didn't have to, Father. I know that 'What have you been up to?' really means 'Are you still getting good grades?'" she laughed.

Mr Blanchard hesitated for a moment "Sometimes you remind me so much of your mother, Snow White" he said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Snow White smiled sadly, remembering her wonderful, caring mother from when she was a child "I wish she was here" she whispered.

Mr Blanchard put his arm properly around her and pulled her in for a comforting embrace.

"She would be _so _proud of you" he said. Snow White nodded into his shoulder, and pulled away.

They continued walking, passing other students as they caught up with their parents.

"Oh, and how is that Nolan boy?" Mr Blanchard suddenly asked. Snow White laughed properly this time.

"Father!"

"What?"

Snow White sighed "_James, _is fine. He's with his mom today"

Mr Blanchard nodded stiffly "I see. You two are still together then?"

"_Yes"_

Mr Blanchard sighed. It wasn't that he didn't _like _James. The boy seemed very pleasant and appeared to care a lot about his daughter. It was just that he was also Snow Whites boyfriend.

In other words, every father's worst nightmare.

Snow White and Mr Blanchard suddenly heard a woman shouting. They looked over to the bench that rested in the middle of the grounds, and saw Ella, her Stepmother, and her Stepsisters. The Stepmother was yelling at Ella, and the girl herself looked like she was about to cry.

"Oh dear..." Snow White sighed sympathetically.

OUAT

"You are worthless, Ella!" Her hard-faced Stepmother shrieked for the whole world to hear.

Ella just sat on the bench in front of her, her head bowed so she couldn't see all the people who were undoubtedly staring at her. She waited for her Stepmother's tirade about her latest failure-a C- in Textiles-to finish. Her dumpy Stepsisters watched, glee shining in their small, piggy eyes.

"S-Stepmother, I-"

"Do not interrupt me, Cinderella!"

Ella winced at the old nickname, a bitter relic of her old life.

Ella stiffened, and ran that thought through her head again as her Stepmother screeched about how pointless it was for her to be attending such an exclusive school:

"How you got in I have _no _idea!"

_Her old life._

Ella knew how she had gotten in. With Thomas' help. He had gotten the school to let her take an attendance exam. He had done it because he loved her. Because he wanted to set her free from the life of being her Step-family's skivvy.

And here she was, taking her Stepmother's rant as she stood there like a prisoner of war.

No. That was her from her _old _life. She didn't have to put up with this crap anymore.

"Stepmother. Stop!" she shouted back, cutting the woman off mid-rant. Her stepsisters watched in anticipation as their mother's chest swelled in fury.

"What?" she whispered darkly.

Ella stood her ground "I said _stop! _Stop talking to me like I'm nothing! Stop telling me that I'm not worth anything! I am _not _your servant anymore! I'm a College student now, so I don't even have to see you anymore, so just stop, Stop, _Stop!" _she yelled, stamping her foot hard on each "Stop"

Ella's Stepmother looked like she might actually hit her through rage. She spoke again, her voice low and threatening.

"Listen, you little-"

"No!" Ella shouted, holding up a hand. She breathed out, calming herself so that she didn't scream the next words.

"Stepmother, I want you to leave" she said calmly "And I do _not, _want you to come back"

Her Stepmother raised her head, looking down her nose at her stepdaughter.

"So" she sneered "You've _finally _grown a backbone"

Ella didn't respond, and she didn't avert her blue-eyed gaze away from the older womans cold one. Her Stepmother sniffed haughtily, and turned to her daughters, who had been watching, awestruck.

"Girls" she snapped "We're leaving"

Ella's stepsisters scurried away, followed by their mother who paused only to give Ella one last glare.

Once she had left, Ella breathed out.

_Finally. _She thought. _Finally!_

OUAT

Rumplestiltskin shoved his box of illegal computer programmes in the compartment that was hidden inside his wardrobe. Along with the couple of grand-cash-he had made doing it.

He then looked around his dark room, the walls were painted grey and was the room itself was cluttered with valuable items, things he sometimes took as payment when his clients didn't have the money. It would do for when his parents came.

_Knock Knock!_

Rumplestiltskin's head jerked towards the door, and he quickly sprayed deodorant around the room-to get rid of any strange smell-before answering the door.

"Mum" he said to the short and light haired Katrina Gold. "Father" he nodded to the tall man with Rumplestiltskin's eyes and a serious expression. Mordred Gold

"Son" his mom said warmly in the same Scottish accent as Rumplestiltskin, she pulled him in for a brief but heartfelt embrace "It's good to see you"

"Thanks" he said. When he pulled away his father held out his hand. Rumplestiltskin shook it.

"Rumplestiltskin" he said, his own accent thick and emotionless.

His son nodded curtly.

"Rumple!" came a happy voice from behind his parents.

Rumplestiltskin felt he might burst with joy. He knew that young, piping voice.

"Bae?" he said, looking around his mom and father "Baelfire? Is that you?"

"Yes it is" Mrs Gold said happily, moving to the side so the dark haired and brown eyed, six year old Baelfire Gold was revealed. He immediately ran forward and hugged his big brother.

"Bae!" Rumplestiltskin laughed happily. He loved his younger brother more than anything, and hadn't seen or talked to him in months (his father refused to let a six year old handle a phone) Rumplestiltskin looked up at his parents. His mother was smiling. His father, of course, was not.

"You brought him?" the question was directed at Mrs Gold, but her husband answered.

"He begged to come, and your mother insisted" he said lazily. He then walked into Rumplestiltskin's room, commenting loudly on how it had not improved since the last time he saw it-"Why do you keep all of these trinkets?"-Rumplestiltskin let go of Baelfire and followed his father.

He was stood in the middle of the room, arms folded.

"We hear you're getting good marks" he said "That's good" he added expressionlessly, as though he was commenting on his choice of curtain rather than his son's grades.

Rumplestiltskin nodded "Yes Father, I am"

His father nodded "And are you earning?"

Another nod "Yes" _although not in the most..._approved _way. _He added silently.

Baelfire started wandering around Rumplestiltskin's room, occasionally picking something up but handling it with the utmost care. He especially seemed to like the miniature spinning wheel he kept by his bedside.

"Have you found a woman yet?" his father asked abruptly, and his wife-who was stood next to Rumplestiltskin-sighed.

"Mordred-" she started, but he silenced her with a stony look. He looked back at Rumplestiltskin.

"Well? Have you?"

_Yes _"No Father, not yet" he lied. No way was he telling him about Belle and putting her through the interrogation that had brought his ex, Milah Jones, to tears.

Mordred Gold sighed "Well, that's no good, Son. You need to find a woman, it makes you look good. Someone like that Regina Mills"

Rumplestiltskin shuddered.

"I hear she's President of the Student Body. She'd make a respectable partner for you"

_Only when Hell freezes over. _He said to himself.

"No offence father, but I would rather die. And I'm certain that the feeling's mutual"

His father sighed "Disappointing" he muttered, while his mother touched Rumplestiltskin's arm comfortingly.

"Never mind" she said "There's plenty of time for that" she said, glaring at her husband.

And Mordred Gold did _not _like to be glared at.

Baelfire ran back to Rumplestiltskin, spinning wheel still clutched in his hand. Rumplestiltskin put a hand on his shoulder while his father exhaled heavily through his nose.

"Katrina" he said, his voice coming out harder and louder.

Rumplestiltskin led Baelfire out of the room and closed the door as his parents began screaming at each-other.

Just like last time.

Baelfire was still clutching the toy, and looking up at his brother with nervous brown eyes.

"They're fighting again" he said quietly. Rumplestiltskin patted him comfortingly on the shoulder.

"I know. It's alright Bae" he said as he led him out of the dorm. He'd send his parents a message about where they were later. If they hadn't killed each-other by then.

Rumplestiltskin sighed, and hoped that Belle was getting on better than him with her father.

OUAT

"Since when did you start wearing scarfs?" Maurice French asked Belle in an Australian accent that matched her own.

"Oh, uh" Belle said, feeling the purple silk scarf that concealed her hicky burning against her skin "It's just...a look I'm trying"

"Hm" Mr French said, glancing at the scarf.

_Rumplestiltskin Gold, you are in SO much trouble! _She thought as she fought to keep a blush rushing to her cheeks.

Belle and her Papa were stood outside the dorm-the last thing she wanted was him going in there and seeing the catastrophic mess her birthday party had left-they had embraced when they met, and then Mr French had asked about the scarf.

"Hey, listen, I'm sorry I wasn't there for your birthday yesterday" Mr French said guiltily.

Belle smiled, and hugged him again "Oh Papa, that's O.k, you're here now!"

"I know" he responded, pulling away after hugging her tightly "I just wish I could've said "Happy Birthday" to my little girl"

Belle laughed "You did, remember?"

Mr French paused, remembering the phone call he had made to Belle the previous day. His face suddenly brightened "Oh yeah!"

They both laughed.

"So, Belle" he continued "How are things with you and your boyfriend?"

Belle smiled coyly and nodded "Going _really _well, Papa"

"I thought you said he was going to meet us here?" Mr French said, looking around as though he might be hiding.

"Yeah, yes, he's supposed to" Belle answered, wondering what on Earth was taking him so long.

Suddenly, she felt a familiar hand grip her shoulder, and sighed in relief.

"He's here, Papa" Belle said, and Mr French turned to see the tall and black-haired Gaston Rose, defender on the Royals football team, with Belle tucked under his armpit.

"Finally, Gaston!" Belle said, digging into him a little "We began to think you weren't coming!" she added, her tone a hardening.

Gaston shrugged innocently "Sorry babe. Football practice"

"Gaston!" Mr French said heartily, and Gaston pulled away from Belle to shake his hand "It's good to see you again, my boy!"

Gaston grinned "Thank-you sir"

Belle watched as Gaston and her papa began to engage in conversation, and as usual that feeling of guilt ballooned up again.

Because of course, it was all a lie.

A few months ago, Mr French had started badgering Belle about who she was interested in at Fairytale College. To both avoid having to tell him about Rumplestiltskin-his reputation reached even the farthest of regions and they both knew Mr French would not approve-and keep her papa off her back about the whole "Boyfriend" thing, she and Rumplestiltskin had come up with Gaston, who had been a friend Belle's since childhood, posing as her boyfriend whenever Mr French came to visit.

In reality Gaston was actually gay, and currently seeing science geek Victor Whale, who spent most of his time in the biology labs.

Belle had approached Gaston-alone-one day, begging for his help. Even he didn't know about her secret relationship with the College Trader.

"So, how has my daughter been treating you, Gaston?" Mr French asked him. Gaston laughed and moved back to her, slinging his arm over her shoulder again.

"Well Mr French, to tell you the truth she keeps me in my place" he said, squeezing her arm.

Belle laughed "Someone has to!" she said playfully.

Gaston laughed too, and kissed her lightly on the cheek. He played his part well.

As they talked and laughed about about what had been going on since Mr French's last visit, Belle saw how well he and Gaston got on, and she was thankful that she had him as a cover.

For now at least.

OUAT

_Oh my God. _Regina thought as she walked to the car park. _That, was Hell!_

Regina got into her shiny black car and drove out of the College, heading for the Deli the rest of the students sometimes hung out at.

Regina's intention however, was to simply get out. Get out of the College, and get some form of food inside her.

As Regina drove the short distance to the Deli, she reflected on her mother's visit. It hadn't been as bad as she was expecting.

It had been _so _much worse!

The meeting had basically been one hour-and-a-half long What Regina Has Screwed Up lecture.

Regina parked the car, got out and walked towards the neon Deli sign-"Stable Eating"-the walk over, unfortunately, gave her time to dwell on everything Cora had said, every complaint, every dig, every _disappointment, _from the way she had greeted the parents: "You shouldn't have seemed so _bright, _you could've at least looked like you had a brain, Regina!"

To the fact that, yes, she was still single: "Practically all the other girls your age are in relationships with boys from wealthy families! It's about time _you _start finding someone before you become an old maid!"

Regina shoved the Deli door open and walked inside. There weren't many people in the white and green building, just a few pensioners and some students from the College. She recognised Fredrick Night and Abigail Midas sitting a few tables away, sharing a soda.

Regina glared at them when they weren't looking. It wasn't like she hadn't _tried _to find a boy-in fact, her efforts to get one had earned her quite the reputation amongst the College students-but everyone her mother would approve of were either taken, gay, or stayed away from her because-

Regina suddenly slammed into something, and before she knew it she was on the ground, fries and burgers surrounding her.

"Ah!" she cried as her funny-bone hit the linoleum "What the Hell?!"

"Oh God!" said a male voice from above her "I am _so _sorry, are you O.k?"

Suddenly, there were gentle hands on her and Regina was pulled to her feet. She then found herself looking into the face of a nineteen year old bus-boy. He was quite handsome, he had thick, light brown hair that stuck up a little on his head, a strong jaw, and _My God, _the bluest eye's Regina had ever seen, and they were filled with concern. Concern for her.

Regina mentally shook herself and forced her body into answering the boy's question.

"Yes" she said "Yes, I'm fine. You really want to watch it when you go rushing around here!" she added, rubbing her aching right arm.

The boy coughed out a startled laugh "Me?" he said, eyebrows rising over those gorgeous eyes "I seem to recall it was _you _who walked into _me" _he laughed again as she glared "Looked like you were a little distracted"

Regina sniffed "Whatever" she said haughtily. She made to stride past him, but accidentally stood on a fry and slipped.

"Argh!" Regina cried as she fell backwards, the bus-boy's strong arms catching her just in time.

Unfortunately he had grabbed her at her aching right arm, and Regina unwillingly cried out in pain. The boy's eyes narrowed "Hey, you _are _hurt!"

"It's nothing!" Regina snapped, pulling out of the boys arms. However he kept a hand on her left shoulder, looking at her sternly.

"No it's not" he said seriously "if you hit it on the Lino you're gonna need to put some ice on it. Come on" he said, gently pulling her towards the back-room of the Deli.

Regina started to protest, but then allowed herself to be pulled along as her arm continued to throb. _I suppose it won't kill me to put some ice on it._

OUAT

Regina's was sat on a chair in the back room, her jacket was off, and she was holding an ice pack against her right elbow. She had to admit the numbing sensation of the ice did help.

After he gave her the ice pack, the bus-boy stood back, watching as she pressed the ice-pack against her skin. Which she actually found rather creepy.

"So, what were you distracted by anyway?" the bus-boy asked, still staring at her.

Regina's head snapped up "What?"

The boy smiled slightly "Before, when you crashed into me. What were you distracted by that made you do it?"

Regina glared at him again "I did not crash into you, you walked into _me!"_

"Sound's like you're avoiding the question" the bus-boy said cockily.

"Sound's like you need to mind your own business!" Regina snapped, and he finally fell silent.

For about five minuets.

"You know, they say talking about it makes it better"

Regina looked at him "What?"

"Whatever's bothering you, they say talking about it makes it better" the bus-boy said. His Martyr tone of voice getting on Regina's last nerve.

"And what makes you think that there is anything bothering me?" she asked him tauntingly.

"Your eyes, I can see the sadness in them"

Regina was not expecting that! She looked properly at the boy. He looked so simple in his white shirt and green pants and apron. But when he spoke, he sounded so..._wise._

So wise, Regina momentarily let her guard down.

"W-why would I tell you anything?" she said, but her voice didn't come out snappy and harsh like she meant for it. It came like she was asking a genuine, hesitant question "I don't even know you"

The bus-boy smiled, and sat down on the seat next to her. He held out his right hand.

"You do now" he said "My name's Daniel. Daniel Hay"

Regina hesitated, and then took his right hand in her left. His skin felt warm and surprisingly soft. "Regina" she said as they shook "Regina Mills"

Daniel let go of Regina's hand, but didn't drop the smile "Nice to meet you, Regina" he said, like he truly meant it.

The corner's of Regina's lips twitched, and she could've sworn she was about to smile, and with a jolt of shock she realised something.

She was enjoying talking to him.

Regina quickly ripped off the ice pack, ignoring the pain in her right arm as she pulled on her jacket.

"I've got to go" she said abruptly "I don't want to be late!"

"For what?" Daniel asked, surprised at her sudden mood change.

Regina didn't answer. She zipped up her jacket, and all but ran out of the Deli, ignoring the looks she was getting from other customers and completely forgetting about eating. As she rushed out to her car, Daniel came out of the back room and stood there, watching her through the Deli window, completely confused.

_**DO. NOT. HATE. ME!**_

_**Yes, yes, I know how annoying it is when an author does this, BELIEVE me! But don't worry, because I'm working on the next chapter, and I should have it up and running soon. Meanwhile, please read and review this chapter. What did you think if my idea of Rumplestiltskin's parents? They've never been featured on OUAT before so I had to guess. And also, what do you think of me bringing back Stable Queen? Personally I love the idea :)**_

_**Your comments are seriously valued by me, so PLEASE keep them coming!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time does not belong to me! All characters and references to the show belong to ABC and Channel 5. I also borrowed a line from "My Super Ex-Girlfriend" which also does not belong to me**_

Once Upon a Time: School's Out! Chapter 4

Snow White was in the Gym with her cheer squad, due to the cold weather they were practicing their routine for the big game-which was four days away-in the large room's warmth.

"O.k girls, that was great!" Snow White said after the cheer-leading squad finished their latest rehearsal. She turned from her position at the front of the team, making sure that each member was stood in the same position of fist in the air, one hand on their hip, and their left leg out in a small lunge.

Snow White peered at the team, looking for area's of improvement "Abigail!" she called to her "You need to move your leg back a little, you look like you're about to fall over!"

As Abigail Midas shifted her position, the Cheer-Leading captain called over to Ruby:

"Ruby, move to the left, you're blocking Rapunzel!"

As Ruby moved, Snow White noticed that Aurora Light was lunging with the wrong leg. She opened her mouth to tell her so, but suddenly a feeling like someone had punched her in the gut overcame her. She clamped a hand over her mouth and sprinted out of the Gym, barely making it to the bathroom in time.

As Snow White threw up, she became dimly aware of someone standing behind her. She wiped her mouth and flushed the toilet before turning around to see Ella, stood just outside the cubicle she was in.

"Are you O.k,Snow?" Ella asked, her voice full of concern as she helped her friend up.

"Yeah" Snow White said, her voice shaking from being violently sick "I'm fine, Ella. I must have a bug or something"

"Do you wanna take off rehearsal?" Ella asked her, and Snow White nodded.

"Sure, I don't want any of you to catch this. Could you take over for me?"

Ella's eyes widened "Me? But, Snow-"

"Please, Ella?" Snow White begged "You're the only one who knows the routine off by heart, and we really need-" Snow White stopped as her stomach lurched, and she hurtled back into the toilet cubicle.

"O.k!" Ella said weakly as she groaned and retched "I'll do it!"

OUAT

"Belle?"

She didn't respond. She wasn't talking to him.

"Belle, talk to me" he said, tapping on her bedroom door.

She still didn't respond, and continued typing her latest column for The Mirror: Dealing with your idiot boyfriend

"Belle-"

"I'm not talking to you!" she said to Rumplestiltskin, who she knew would have a triumphant look on his face. She cringed at herself. _Idiot!_

"Yes you are" he called smugly. Belle didn't answer him.

"Belle, I can stand outside this door all day. I don't care who sees me"

Belle sighed, and tried to concentrate on her column, the tapping of the letter keys doing nothing to distract her.

"I'm not going anywhere Belle, and this corridor isn't going to be deserted forever" Rumplestiltskin called through the door. Belle's eyebrow arched.

_Oh, _she thought, _so _that's _how he's going to play? _

"I know. Say hi to Ruby and the others for me" she said with a smirk.

There was silence "What do you mean?" Rumplestiltskin asked, and Belle fought off a laugh.

"Well, cheer-leading practice is about to finish. Pretty soon this dorms going to be full of gossiping cheer-leaders"

"Belle, let me in" he demanded urgently.

"No" she said in a sing-song voice.

"Not even so I can apologise?"

Belle stopped typing. She looked at the door in disbelief, and then laughed.

"O.k" she said, standing up to let him inside. Rumplestiltskin walked inside to stand by her desk and Belle closed the door. She turned to face him, arms crossed and all laughter gone from her face.

Rumplestiltskin sighed "I...I apologise for giving you a love-bite right before you were meant to meet your father"

Belle nodded "And?"

He frowned "What are you talking about?"

Belle made an offended noise"The way you reacted when I told you about it!"

"What was wrong with my reaction?"

Belle breathed out hard, fixing him with a glare "When I told you that I had to hide a _hicky_ from my Papa" she said, trying to keep her voice calm "You _laughed!"_

"Ah" Rumplestiltskin said, remembering how she had stormed away from him as he wiped tears of mirth from his eyes.

"Yes...well, I also apologise for that. I did not mean to offend you" he added, looking at her wearily for her reaction.

A small smile played about Belle's face,and she uncrossed her arms.

"Apology accepted" she grinned, and bounded forward and kissed him.

"So does that mean I'm no longer your 'Idiot Boyfriend?'" he asked when they broke apart, Belle gasped and looked behind him to her desk. Her lap-top was still open.

"You weren't meant to see that!" she cried, and Rumplestiltskin fought not to laugh as she rushed over to the computer.

OUAT

It was the next day, and Regina groaned quietly as she slapped her lap-top "Come on! Work!" she hissed as the screen once again went blank, then showed her work, then went blank again.

"Damn it!" she hissed. She knew what was causing the problem, of course. That damn computer programme she had bought from that imp Rumplestiltskin that was meant to speed up her lap-top's connection. It was screwing with her computer and now she could barely type out two words without it going on the fritz.

Frustration sizzled through her, as if she didn't have enough to deal with.

"_Your eyes, I can see the sadness in them"_

Regina shook her head slightly, knowing how weird it must look to the people surrounding her but not caring. She tried to concentrate on Ms Nova's Politics lesson, and not on Daniels voice, saying those things to her in the back room of the Deli.

Unfortunately, she couldn't seem to get his voice out of her head.

"_My name's Daniel Hay: Nice to meet you, Regina"_

Her lap-top screen went back to normal, and then blank again. Regina tried hitting the screen again while Daniels voice flowed through her head, she hadn't been back to Stable Eating since that Saturday. She knew she could never see him again.

"Miss Mills, are you alright?"

Regina jumped and looked up. Everyone, including Ms Nova, was staring at her.

"Excuse me?" Regina asked, keeping her voice clueless.

"You sighed, Miss Mills" Ms Nova said with some concern

_Oh God, I did that out loud?! _She felt like slapping herself.

"Is there something about the lecture you don't understand?" the teacher asked.

_Fantastic, _Regina inwardly sighed as Ms Nova's question prompted a low ripple of laughter.

One scorching look from Miss Mills put a stop to that.

"No Ma'am" Regina said to woman stood at the front of the lecture hall "It's just...my lap-top. It's not working right"

The lap-tops screen suddenly lit up, showing Ms Nova's lecture written there, and Regina cursed in her head.

"Oh, never mind" she said brightly, and Ms Nova continued to talk about Politics.

Frustration intensifying, Regina turned back to her faulty lap-top just as the classroom door opened.

Ms Nova paused again to see who had entered her classroom, along with the mildly curious students. Except for Regina, who's computer had gone blank again.

_I'm going to KILL him! _she silently screamed.

"Good afternoon" Ms Nova was saying"How can I help you?"

"Uh, my schedule said I was due in Politics?" said a familiar voice, Regina frowned and looked up. No, it couldn't possibly be...

"Sorry I'm late" the familiar voice was saying "I got lost"

"That's alright" Ms Nova said, waving off his apology "And you are?"

"Daniel" he said, and Regina thought she might pass out "Daniel Hay"

"Ah yes, I was told to expect you here today" Ms Nova said "If you'd like to take a seat, Mr Hay"

_A seat?! _Regina quickly scanned the seats in the hall. They were all filled.

Except for one.

And of course, it was right next to her.

Just her luck.

As Daniel walked up the lecture hall stairs-looking completely different in his dark brown shirt and black pants-Regina tried to act nonchalant as he came closer and closer to where she was sat.

As he started moving along Regina's row, coming closer to the girl herself, Daniel looked up to see her sat there. He froze, shock evident on his face as he instantly recognised her. He then started moving again until he had sat down in the seat directly to her right.

Regina's fingers moved over the lap-top, furiously typing out Ms Nova's lecture as she continued to speak, her face a mask of concentration as she prayed that this wouldn't get any worse.

OUAT

An hour later the lecture ended, and Daniel hadn't tried to talk to her once. He hadn't even looked in her direction.

As Regina walked out of the classroom, trying to decide whether she was happy about that or not, she heard someone calling her name.

"Regina Mills?" she turned around, and there was Daniel standing behind her, a bag slung over his shoulder.

"Yes?" she said, and he smiled a smile that reached those amazing eyes of his.

"Daniel" he said happily "Daniel Hay. We met at the Diner, remember?"

Regina nodded "Yes. I remember" she said, coldness slipping into her voice "You knocked me onto the ground"

Daniels smile slipped a notch, and Regina felt a small pang of guilt that she immediately beat down.

"I...Yeah, I know" he said confidence leaving his voice. Regina fought the guilt that was threatening to show, and turned to walk away.

"Were you late?" she heard him call, and Regina turned again as Daniel hurried to catch up to her.

"What?" she asked, before remembering the half-excuse she had used before she had run out of the Diner.

"The other day" Daniel answered, like he was talking to a person with memory problems "You said you were gonna be late for something"

"Oh" Regina nodded as those light eyes pierced her dark ones "Yes, that. No I wasn't"

Daniel nodded "That's good, I wouldn't have wanted you to have gotten into trouble" he smiled again, and Regina felt her breath catch in her throat.

"Thanks" she said, barely keeping her voice even, she moved away from him slightly "Well, I have to go. I've got a Lit class to get to" she lied, and she walked away from him.

But Daniel had one more thing to add:

"Hey! Regina!" Regina turned one last time, and that gorgeous smile was still on his face "You know, I'm new here, and I don't really know the school yet. Maybe you can show me around sometime?"

Regina forced herself not to respond, or even nod, she just turned around and continued walking, trying to ignore the overwhelming urge to look into those beautiful eyes one last time.

OUAT

Snow White was sat in the sitting room of Charmings dorm reading a magazine, tuning out the screams of a group of short College boys Snow White was friends with-nicknamed the Seven Dwarfs-as they played on the miniature football table.

"What the Hell are you talking about?!" the one with the beard-Grumpy-yelled "That was definitely a score!"

"You moved the ball with your hand! I saw it!" Doc shouted back.

"That's a load of cr...cr..._Aachoo!" _Sneezy, who was on Grumpy's team, sneezed before continuing "Crap! You're just a sore loser!"

"Says the guy who punched Dopey last time he lost!" Sleepy accused as Dopey nodded vigorously.

"That was an accident!"

"Oh, so your fist _accidently _hit me in the face?"

"Boys!" Snow White interrupted, unable to take any more. They stopped arguing and turned to her. She put down her magazine.

"Cut it out!, its just a game!" she scolded, and six of the Seven Dwarfs immediately gasped in scandal.

"_Just a-" _Grumpy started to yell, but Happy, the general peace maker, cut him off.

"Grumpy, she's right! There's no need to get so worked up" he said as Grumpy stared at him in disbelief.

"Yeah well you suck at this, so you would say that!" Sleepy accused him.

"I do not!" Happy shouted back, and Snow White groaned as another argument erupted.

A few seconds later Charming came down the stairs and walked over to Snow White, seemingly oblivious to the fighting.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Like you wouldn't believe" Snow White said, putting down her magazine and buttoning her jacket.

They left just as Happy screamed at Dopey that the only reason he scored the last time was because he'd had something in his Goddamn eye.

OUAT

Ella, Thomas, Belle and Ruby were already at a table near the window when James and Snow White walked into the Stable Deli. When they saw them Ruby automatically waved them over and they squashed into a couple of chairs.

"Hey Snow" Ruby said as she and James squeezed next to Belle and Ella "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling better, Ruby" Snow White said while James looked at her in confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

"You didn't tell him?" Ruby asked before Snow White could answer, eyebrows raised.

"No, I didn't" Snow White said, frowning slightly "I guess I forgot"

"Tell me what?" James persisted.

"Snow got sick during Practice yesterday" Ella answered him, leaving Snow White wondering why she seemed to be unable to answer a simple question by herself these days.

"Yes" she snapped in annoyance as James turned to her "But that was _yesterday" _she layered the emphasis on thick "And I'm feeling a lot be-"

Everyone watched as Snow White suddenly stopped talking, threw herself away from the table and ran to the Deli bathroom.

There was an awkward silence, until Belle spoke up.

"Did she eat something that didn't agree with her yesterday?" she asked James, who was staring after Snow White.

He shrugged "I don't think so"

"Oh!" Ruby suddenly gasped, then covered her mouth with her hand "Oh my God!"

"What?" everyone asked simultaneously, but Ruby shook her head.

"No!" she squealed "I'm not saying a word!"

"Come on, Ruby!" Belle begged "Tell us what it is!"

"Is it about Snow?" Ella added, staring at Ruby avidly.

Ruby shook her head coyly, a smirk on her face "Nope, I'm not saying anything"

The group around the table started to beg her to spill, but were distracted when a bus-boy came up to clear Belle's, Ruby's, Ella and Thomas' plates. Ruby glanced up at him, and then did a double take.

"Hey!" she said "I know you! You're Daniel Hay!"

Everyone looked up to take a proper look at the dark haired boy, who was staring at Ruby, startled.

"Yeah I am. How do you know me?"

Ruby grinned and leaned forward "You were in my Animal Studies class this afternoon, you're the new student at our College"

"You're a student?" Belle broke in curiously, and Daniel nodded.

"Yeah, I got in on a loan and I'm working here to pay it off. Are you finished with that plate?"

"Oh! Yeah" Belle moved her folded arms so Daniel could get to her empty plate.

As he walked away, Ruby's eyes appeared to be glued to his back.

"Wow, he's cute" she whispered, and Ella raised her eyebrows.

"Ruby, aren't you seeing that Peter guy?" she asked, and Ruby shrugged, minx-like.

"So? I can still look"

Ella made a disbelieving sound as Snow White came back to the table, her face whiter than ever and beads of sweat on her forehead.

"Hey, are you O.k?" James asked, standing up and going to feel her forehead, his eyes bright with concern.

Snow White brushed his hand down "Yes, yes I'm fine, Charming" she said, trying a self-concious laugh.

"No offence, Snow" Belle said from the table "but you..._do_ look awful" she added sympathetically as the others nodded their agreement "Maybe you should go home and rest up?"

Snow White started to protest, but James was already picking up her jacket.

"She's right, Snow. Come on, I'll take you back" he said as Snow White shook her head.

"No, you don't need to do-"

"We're not arguing on this" James insisted "Lets go"

And he steered her out of the Diner, Belle, Ella and Thomas watching them.

Ruby however, was still staring at the cute bus-boy.

"Do you think he's seeing anyone?" she said dreamily.

"RUBY!"

OUAT

"Rumplestiltskin!" Regina called after knocking on his door. She waited five minuets, then knocked again, harder.

"Gold, open the door!" she shouted, raising her hand again.

The door suddenly sprang open and she nearly fell flat on her face as she went to bang on the it even harder. She straightened up to see Rumplestiltskin looking at her with an amused smirk on his face.

"Regina, what an unexpected surprise" he said as if it was anything but as she stormed into his room.

Rumplestiltskin shut the door, and turned to face the unwelcome visitor, who was holding up the computer disc he had sold her three days ago.

"This programme you sold me broke down after three days" she said "I want my money back_" _

"Oh, do you now?" Rumplestiltskin asked doubtfully, and Regina let out a hard exhale.

"You told me it would last me until the end of the semester-"

"As long as you used it only when you absolutely had to" he cut her off, and the girls lips pressed into a hard line "I specifically told you to take it out of your computer when you weren't using the internet, otherwise it wouldn't last long. Did you follow those instructions?"

Regina gripped the disc harder between her fingers, and she felt her eyes morph into a glare, which only made the smug bastard look even more entertained.

"No. Because they were never given to me" she said, her voice coming out low with anger as he shook his head and tutted.

"Regina, I remember every detail of every deal I make. And I remember warning you about that programmes" he pointed at the programme still in Regina's expertly manicured hand "slight fault" he finished.

"I want. My money. _Back" _Regina demanded, saying the final word in a tone that would've made anyone shrivel up in fear and give her exactly what she wanted.

Anyone...except Rumplestiltskin.

A slow, malicious smile crept across his face, making him look more beast-like than human, and he let out a low chuckle.

"Why, Miss Mills" he said, putting his hands in his trouser pockets "If you think I'm going to give you back that money, then you must be..."

He paused, and Regina tried to keep her calm posture while the inside of her mind went into panic.

_No, _she silently begged him, _don't say it, not that, anything but that._

"Crazy"

In that moment, at that one five letter word, Regina snapped, throwing the programme at him so hard it shattered on the wall behind him.

"DON'T CALL ME CRAZY!" Regina roared, jabbing a furious finger at him. Her face was wildly livid, and and she was panting from the force of her throw.

And Rumplestiltskin's grin only grew wider. He laughed again, like a child watching clowns at the circus.

"Strike a nerve, did I Regina?" he hissed cruelly "Looks like they let you out too soon!"

Before she could react to that statement, Rumplestiltskin walked over to his door and opened it. He then looked back over at Regina, a bored smile still on his face.

"Now, I'm afraid I must ask you to leave, Dearie. Unless you'd rather be physically thrown out"

Anger still boiling inside her, Regina moved to the door. As she came to the doorway, she looked malevolently into Rumplestiltskin's face.

"This isn't the end, Rumple" she threatened "You'll pay for this"

Rumplestiltskin moved his face closer to hers, almost so that she could feel his breath on her cheek, and laughed softly.

"Why Regina, I didn't know you felt so strongly about a computer programme" he whispered before shoving her out of the door and slamming it.

Regina glared at the wooden door, breathing hard in suppressed rage.

Because he knew that this wasn't about the programme, it was about something else he had done. What he had said in that room that had forced those memories that she tried so hard to keep buried on her:

"_Crazy"_

Regina strode away from the imp's dorm room, thinking that she was going to make him pay for that, and she would bring him to his spindly knees when she did.

_**O.k! So that was my fourth chapter, please be a dear and tell me what you think! O.k I'm already working on my fifth chapter, and I'm thinking that there's going to be a bit more Stable Queen in it, along with a splash of Snowing, and maaaybe someone finding out about Rumple and Belle's secret love affair! *Squees***_

_**But first I have to know what you think, so get reviewing and I'll update as soon as I can! **_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Once Upon a Time does not belong to me! All characters and references to the show belong to ABC and Channel 5**_

Once Upon a Time: Schools Out! Chapter 5

"Daniel, Table 3 needs a clean-up!"

"Got it!" Daniel called back to the Deli owner, and moved over to the table that was cluttered with plates and cups.

In the Deli that he had to work in until he had payed off that damn loan.

As he cleaned the table, his thoughts drifted back to two days ago, when he had seen that girl, Regina, sitting in the Politics class.

All that weekend he hadn't been able to get her out of his head, her snappy attitude when she had talked to him, the feel of her skin when he'd helped her up.

Her huge, dark eyes, that had so much sadness in them. And he still didn't know why.

The day after they had met he had found himself glancing up every time the Deli door opened, with the wild hope that she might come back. But she didn't.

And then there she was, in his Politics class on his first day, furiously beating her lap-top. And it had been like an electric shock of surprised delight had gone through him.

After that class he had tried to talk to her, only to be met with the cold shoulder.

Daniel carried the full clean-up trey over to the back room and started to put the plates and cutlery in the sink, which of course made him think about when she had been in here too, ice pack to her arm, face slightly pinched in pain.

_You idiot, Daniel, _he thought as he scrubbed a plate, _the first hot girl you see here, and you knock her to the ground._

In truth, Daniel didn't think Regina was hot. If he was being honest with himself, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Despite what his new classmates had been telling him.

_Regina Mills? _Fredrick Night had said when he'd told him what he'd thought. _No way, It's Snow White that's fairest in this place._

That had gotten him a slap from his girlfriend, Abigail, later that day.

When his shift was over, the dishes done, Daniel walked out of the Deli and started the fifteen minuet bike-ride back to Fairytale College.

Now, Daniel had only heard rumors about the stunningly beautiful Snow White. Captain of the Royal's cheer-leading squad, voted Fairest of Them All in the Mirror, and something about a Poisoned Apple...

Daniel locked his bike onto the college's bike rail and started walking towards the dormitorys. It was just starting to get dark, and only a few students were hovering outside the dorms.

Including someone sitting on the bench in the middle of the grounds. She was groaning and cursing-he could tell from the very colourful vocabulary that this person was a girl-as she repeatedly hit the lap-top on her knee's.

Daniel moved closer to the girl, realising with a shock that he recognised her.

The girl sat on the bench was Regina, the light from her computer illuminating her face.

Daniel didn't hesitate. He started walking up to Regina, who appeared not to notice him as he moved to stand beside her.

"Hey" he said.

"What?!" she snapped and looked up. When she saw him standing there her eyes widened in shock.

Daniel smiled "Having trouble?"

OUAT

For about three seconds Regina was at a complete loss for words, Daniel stood above her, waiting while she pulled herself together.

"No" she said, her eyes returning to the computer screen. Ever since she had taken out that faulty disc her computer had stopped going blank.

It had also stopped granting her access to her work files, and she shook the lap-top in frustration.

She heard Daniel chuckle "Looks like you are having some trouble, Regina"

"Really?! You think?" she snapped again, venting out her annoyance on him, ignoring the tingle she felt when he said her name.

Daniel sat down next to her, and Regina had to admire his bravery. There weren't a lot of people who stuck around to face the wrath of Regina Mills.

"What's the problem?" he asked seriously, and Regina looked at him.

"Do you know anything about computers?" she asked, in a tone that seriously doubted it.

As expected, he shook his head "No, but it looks like you can't get into your files. And I might be able to help you with that"

Regina arched an eyebrow "How?"

Daniel grinned knowingly "Do you have a memory stick?"

"Yes" Regina nodded, her voice suspicious.

"Come with me"

OUAT

"O.k, now upload the files to the computer and click on a file" Daniel told her, and Regina stuck the memory stick into an ancient plug-in computer in the college I.T unit, and waited for her files to spring up.

Once they did, Regina clicked on the file marked "Politics" and immediately the file opened to reveal all of her work from that class. She then clicked on the lecture from that day, and automatically her typed work showed on the screen.

"There!" Daniel said triumphantly, while Regina tried to look mildly interested rather than relieved.

"Well that worked" she said with a tone of someone admitting defeat. She closed down the files and pulled out the black memory stick, starting to get up.

"So you can just do this until you get a new lap-top" Daniel added as Regina put the lap-top in question into her bag.

She gave him a look. He explained it like she was a child "I know that"

Daniel seemed to realise he had offended her, and started to apologise.

"Of course you do, I'm sorry"

"Thank-you" Regina responded tartly, then, in a calmer tone she said "And thanks for helping me with my work. I'm sorry I snapped at you"

Daniel shrugged "That's alright. You can make it up to me"

Regina raised an eyebrow, both surprised and endeared by his assumption.

"Oh really? How so?" she asked him, and Daniel folded his arms, not taking his eyes off her.

"Well, you could start by letting me take you out for dinner"

Regina laughed in disbelief, which failed to remove Daniels confident smile.

Regina stopped laughing, looking at his cute face with a small amount of wonder.

This boy was completely different to any other she had ever met. He was cute, confident, and when he spoke it was with an air of intelligence that was way above his station.

Which was why she found herself nodding, allowing a small smile to creep onto her face.

Daniel however, beamed in such a way that threatened to knot up her stomach.

"Great!" he said, and before Regina could walk away, he gently took her hand, raised it to his lips, and kissed it, making her heart beat so hard she was positive he could hear it.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow at eight"

"Alright" Regina answered, amazed by the amount of effort it took to keep her voice from coming out all breathy.

After that Daniel walked her back to her dorm. And as she closed the door of the silent dormitory, Regina realised that she was feeling lighter than she had done in the longest time.

_For God's Sakes Regina, pull yourself together! He's just a boy! _She scolded herself, and started to walk up the stairs to the bedrooms.

OUAT

The next day was the Big Game. Royals vs Ogres. The Final.

The entire school was on a major pre-game high. Three hours after classes and lectures were over almost every student filed into the stands on Fairytale Colleges football pitch, waving flags and banners that read "**You Rule the Pitch!" **and **"Vanquish All Ogres!"**

Ella and Ruby were in the girls changing rooms, about to lead the cheer-squad out onto the pitch sidelines, their purple and gold-trimmed uniforms freshly laundered and bright. Some of the girls were even carrying pom-poms.

There was just one very important member of the squad missing.

"Where the Hell is Snow White?!" Rapunzel demanded, tying her long blonde hair back into a bun.

Ruby sighed "She got sick again! Couldn't make it" she told her, setting off a few frustrated sighs amongst the team

From the back of the changing room, Aurora was pulling on her shirt, she picked up a shoe, looking confused "Who's shoe is this?" she called around the room.

"Oh! Mine!" Ella cried, running forward to take the shoe from Aurora.

Ruby chuckled lightly at Ella and checked her watch. They had five minuets until the game started.

She squeaked in alarm and clapped her hands to turn the squads attention to her.

"O.k, girls, it's almost game time! Let's get out there and show some support!" she called in her best peppy-cheer-leader voice.

As the squad started to file out of the changing room, Ruby took a deep, calming breath. This was her first time leading the squad.

"Hey? Are you O.k?" came Ella's kind voice from next to her, and Ruby amended that thought. Her and _Ella's _first time.

Ruby nodded, smiling confidently "Don't worry I'm O.k" she said "Now lets go out there and watch our boyfriends kick some ass!"

Ella laughed her little tinkly laugh, and they walked out of the changing rooms.

OUAT

The boys changing room was completely silent. As the Royals changed for the game, none of them spoke. There were no jibes, no comebacks, no laughter. Nothing.

Because they were all thinking about the same thing. The biggest game of their lives, a chance to finally defeat the Ogres, who had been kicking their butts practically since their _parents _had been in College.

Once they were changed, James Nolan, Team Captain, stood before them, looking more determined than anyone had ever seen him.

"Alright guys" he said, his voice full of the same determination that was on his face "This is it. This is what we've been waiting for. I know that after last years defeat we _never _thought we'd get this chance again"

There was a murmur of agreement. The members of last years team remembering the brutal thrashing given to them by the Ogres last year, the newer ones swallowing nervously.

James continued "But we did. And do you wanna know why?" he paused for a moment before answering his own question "Because we are good! We were good enough to beat the Trolls"

there was another murmur of agreement, confident sounds of "Yeah" and "That's right"

"We were good enough to defeat the Sirens!" James said, his voice rising.

This time there were shouts of "Yeah!" and "Hell Yeah!"

"And we are good enough to defeat the _Goddamn Ogres!" _he shouted the last two words, punching a fist in the air.

"YEAH!" the team roared, punching the air and slapping each other on the backs in support.

"Now let's get out there, and show them what we're made of!" he yelled over the teams enthusiastic shouts as they followed him out of the changing room, pulling on their football helmets.

As they walked onto the flood-light illuminated pitch, met by screams of support from most of the school, James looked up into the stands, scanning the faces of the thousands of screaming fans until he found the one he was searching for.

Ms Nolan was stood in the stands, waving a purple and gold Royals flag and screaming along with the crowd.

James smiled at the sight of his mother, her presence giving him new strength for the upcoming game.

He then glanced over at the cheer leaders, feeling a small pang when he didn't see his black-haired beauty stood there, assembling the squad.

He quickly forced down that feeling of regret. For one thing, Snow White couldn't help it if she was sick, and for another, he had a football game to concentrate on.

Soon-too soon-they were standing head to head with the biggest, ugliest, scariest football team they had ever set eyes on. They fact that they were dressed in a gross muddy-green football uniform doing nothing to hinder their monstrous appearance.

James gulped, and forced his hands not to shake as he moved into position.

OUAT

Rumplestiltskin tried to show some vague interest in the game, but he honestly couldn't care less about Nolan passing to Night and Night passing to Herman. He was only here because a certain Victor Whale still hadn't paid for his programme. It had been a good one, one that allowed you to hack into official Government records (rumour had it Whale was using it to look into autopsy reports)

Whale had been avoiding him for a while. Time to put a stop to that.

But first he had to suffer through this pointless game.

"NIGHT SCORES! 1-0 TO ROYALS!"

Rumplestiltskin sighed as the crowd erupted into screams of joy, and turned his gaze to the only thing that was making the whole ordeal tolerable.

Belle was screaming along with the crowd, punching the air and yelling "Go Royals!" brown curls flying in her face as she quickly wrote down the recent events in her notebook.

Rumplestiltskin smirked, Belle had been so excited when Gene Glass had given her the review of the game for the Mirror. It was her first big story as a writer, and she was determined not to miss a single detail.

As everyone sat back down, Rumplestiltskin started to subtly scan the crowd, searching for Whale's blonde head.

"Hey, what're you writing there?"

Rumplestiltskin stopped searching for Whale, the sound of the male voice distracting him.

He turned his head, and saw a boy wearing a top hat with a scar that circled his neck.

Rumplestiltskin knew this boy, Jefferson. He had transferred three months ago, and the way that he was staring at Belle-_his _Belle-instead of the game was making Rumplestiltskin's blood boil.

Belle, for her part, shot Jefferson a small smile and shifted away from him slightly "Just a story for the Mirror" she said in a way that made it clear she wanted to be left alone.

Jefferson clearly didn't get the hint, and moved his head slightly closer to Belles. The look on his face making Rumplestiltskin's fists clench.

"That's really interesting" Jefferson said seductively, a grin on his face. Belle sighed in irritation and shifted along her seat again.

"Thank-you" she said shortly "Now, I really need to concentrate on the game"

Jefferson chuckled, and said, very close to her face "I can think of something better to concentrate on" and then he did something that sent Rumplestiltskin completely over the edge.

Jefferson placed a hand on Belle's jean-covered knee.

Rumplestiltskin flew upright, and in one fluid motion he had Jefferson's arm raised in the air, his body pulled up so that they were face to face.

"Hey! Get the Hell off me!" Jefferson yelled, trying-futilely-to pull his arm out of Rumplestiltskin's grip

"If I'm not mistaken" Rumplestiltskin hissed, gripping his arm harder "I believe that this young lady" he gestured to a gob smacked Belle "Wants you to leave her alone"

"Says who?!" Jefferson demanded, panting from trying to free his arm.

Rumplestiltskin snapped his head over to Belle, who quickly nodded.

"H-he's right" she stammered to Jefferson, she then looked at Rumplestiltskin "You can let him go now"

Obliging, Rumplestiltskin let go of the hatted fool just as the crowd screamed boos when the Ogres scored.

Jefferson stumbled back and, glaring at Rumplestiltskin, started to force his way out of the stands.

Rumplestiltskin sat back down and Belle continued to write down the events of the game, though her hands were shaking.

"You didn't have to do that" she said in a raised voice over the noisy crowd, and Rumplestiltskin looked at her.

"I didn't hurt him Belle, I made sure of that" he knew she would've been upset if he had ripped Jefferson's arm off like he'd wanted.

Belle smiled at him, and briefly touched his leg, just above the knee.

"I know" she said "Thank-you" she added, although Rumplestiltskin wondered what it was she was thanking him for.

Unknown to young couple, a few rows behind them sat Regina Mills. She had been attempting to do her presidential duty and watch as James Nolan brought the teams score to 2-1, when she had seen Rumplestiltskin attempt to rip the arm off that strange Jefferson boy.

She had assumed he was another of Rumplestiltskin's idiotic clients (and no, she was not including herself in that category) until she had seen that head-in-the-clouds Belle touch his leg. And it wasn't by accident.

In fact, it looked like a sign of, _affection._

And that drew Regina's interest.

OUAT

"WE WON!"

"WE WON THE GAME!"

"_WE WON THE CUP!"_

The winning team of Fairytale College and various cheer leaders piled into the building towards the changing rooms, roaring and screaming in euphoria while pounding each other on the back and throwing out high fives.

James felt he might go blind with joy, sure, his foot was hurting from where that Ogre quarterback had slammed into him to stop him scoring, and maybe he was still bleeding in some places, but they had _done it! _The Ogres were finally defeated!

"WE DEFEATED THE OGRES!" he roared, and the volume of the teams and cheer leaders joyous yells increased.

"Royals _Rule!" _Ella yelled, squealing as Thomas picked her up and spun her in a circle, Peter and Ruby engaging in a celebration make-out session in front of everyone.

As James watched Peter and Thomas with their girlfriend's (although Ruby and Peter weren't exclusive yet) he couldn't help but feel a small pang as he thought of Snow White, missing the game of the century.

However, a surprise awaited him when they reached the changing rooms. Snow White was stood there, just outside the boys door.

"Snow!" James cried joyously as everyone else went to change, barely noticing the strained smile on Snow White's face as he lifted her off her feet with the strength of his embrace.

"You came after all! did you see the game?" James gasped in excitement, barely noticing when she tried to answer.

"No I-"

"We won, Snow!" he cried happily "We beat them! We beat the Ogres!" he suddenly laughed while Snow White tried to get a word in.

"Charming I-"

"And when the game was over, my mom actually ran onto the field to hug me! Can you believe it?"

he laughed again, before noticing that Snow White's expression was anything but happy.

In fact, she looked like she'd been crying.

"Hey" he said, putting a hand on her arm "Is something wrong?"

Snow White breathed in a shaky breath, not looking at him. James took her hand as she started to tear up.

"Snow?" he said gently, starting to get scared "What is it?"

"Oh James" she sighed tearfully "I...I don't know how to say this"

The euphoria James had been feeling vanished, only to be replaced by the feeling like he had swallowed a block of ice.

_Is she breaking up with me? _He thought desperately. He forced his own voice to stay steady as he spoke to her.

"Snow, whatever you need to say to me, just say it"

Snow White breathed out again, tears staring to fall over her cheeks. She looked him dead in the eyes, and took another breath before answering his question.

"James...I'm pregnant!"

_**O.k, O.k, I know you really wanted a long chapter, but I decided to keep you all on edge because I'm evil :)**_

_**So that brings about the end of the first week of Fairytale College, and you bet there's more to come! Namely Stable Queens first date, a possible cat-fight, and the discovery of Rumbelle.**_

_**But it can only happen as long as you read and review this chapter! so get those fingers working, and I'll be posting Chapter 6 as soon as I can.**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time does not belong to me! All characters and references to the show belong to ABC and Channel 5**_

Once Upon a Time: Schools Out! Chapter 6

"_James...I'm pregnant!"_

Pregnant. Snow White was pregnant.

And the baby was his.

After she had told him, Snow White had broken down into horrible, wracking tears, holding her face in her hands to muffle the sound.

After he had gotten over the shock, James had led Snow White away from the changing rooms to a secluded part of the building, he had then taken her into his arms. He held her, stroked her hair, and whispered that it was all gonna to be O.k. They were gonna be O.k.

She had asked him if he would stay with her that night, and of course he had agreed, the thought of being away from her when she was so scared and confused being too much to bear.

As he laid awake in her bed, Snow White sleeping in the comfort of his embrace, a thousand thoughts rushed through James Nolan's head. Most of them consisting of "What am I going to do?" and "What's Mom going to say?" and "What's going to happen now?"

And school. Crap, what were he going to do about College?

Snow White stirred in his arms, whimpering a little in her sleep, the fist that rested on James' chest clenching. He held her closer, and Snow White sighed contently, her fist relaxing.

Out of everything that was going through his head, James was sure of one thing:

There was nothing on this earth that could make him abandon Snow White. Not now, not ever.

OUAT

With shaky hands, Victor Whale handed over $100 to Rumplestiltskin. As the College Dealer put the cash into his pocket he fixed Whale with a dangerous look.

"This had better not happen again, Whale" he said, his Scottish accent becoming more prominent as his voice became more threatening "I don't like it when my clients keep me waiting"

Whale shook his head erratically, his eyes wide with fear "N-no, of course not, Rum-"

"We're done here" Rumplestiltskin interrupted, already turning away from the science enthusiast. Whale hesitated, as if Rumplestiltskin might be playing a trick on him, he then scuttled away as fast as he could.

On his way to meet up with another client, Rumplestiltskin bought a copy of the Mirror. Despite himself, he wanted to see how Belle's first real story had gone. He opened to the sports section, and read the opening headline:

"Game of the Century: Royals vs Ogres! By Belle French"

Rumplestiltskin forced himself not to smile-he was in public-as he read Belle's summery of the game, everything from Nights first score to Nolan receiving an "Ankle-shattering block!"

She ended the two-page summery by proclaiming it as a moment of true triumph for Fairytale College, one that would still be told when they were all in their graves, and Rumplestiltskin allowed himself a small grin. She was good.

He folded the newsletter up, put it into his pocket and made his way to his the room of Arthur Pendragon.

OUAT

Snow White allowed the sound of her dorm mates to swirl around her head, she wasn't paying attention to a single conversation.

No, she was concentrating on something much more impacting and terrifying than spot removal cream not working, or who was cuter in Ruby's Animal Studies class.

Yesterday, when she had seen that little pink plus on the pregnancy test, it was like reality had come crashing down on her.

She was having a baby, and she didn't have a clue what to do about it.

Telling Charming had been one of the most terrifying things she'd ever had to do, if she had doubted for one second that he didn't care for her as she cared for him, she didn't think she'd have been able to do it.

And then there was her Father. Oh God, what was he going to say? How could you tell someone that their little girl was expecting a baby?!

"Snow?" Snow White jumped to the sound of Ruby calling her name. She looked up into her dark eyes. She was looking at her with worry.

"W-what?" Snow White asked, and Ruby sighed.

"Snow, you weren't even listening to me, were you?"

Snow White shook her head, she wasn't even aware Ruby had been talking.

"I'm sorry, Ruby I-I'm not feeling well" she said truthfully, her stomach was starting to swirl with worry, fear, and most likely morning sickness.

Ruby frowned in concern "Do you think you're gonna get sick again?" she asked, and Snow White nodded, shakily starting to get up.

"Snow..." Ruby asked hesitantly as Snow White started to leave, Snow White turned back to her.

"Yes?" she asked, an Ruby licked her lips nervously.

"Do you...do you need to tell me something?"

Snow White started. Oh God...was it _really _that obvious?!

Snow White shook her head, and then left the dorm before Ruby could question her further. Once outside, she took a few deep breaths of fresh air to stop herself from making a mess on the concrete, and she stared out at the campus, wondering, just..._wondering, _what she was going to do now.

OUAT

"You know, when you said you wanted to take me out for dinner, this wasn't what I was expecting" Regina said as she stood in a strappy, knee length black dress and heels, on a hill above a picnic blanket, the moon shining above them in the clear sky.

Daniel grinned "Well, I wanted to make this a date to remember" he said, and gestured for her to sit down. As she did, Regina looked up at him incredulously.

"Believe me Daniel I am _never _going to forget this" she said, and Daniel laughed as he joined her on the blanket.

As he lowered himself down, their hands brushed together, sending jolts of electricity through both parties.

Daniel looked down at their hands, and reluctantly removed it from Regina's. He reached into a bag he had brought with him and pulled out a bottle of red wine.

Regina arched an eyebrow "Wine? Are you thinking that something's going to happen here tonight?" she said jokingly as Daniel pulled out two wine glasses, her heart beating a little harder at the thought of what he could be planning.

Daniel however, shook his head "No. I just believe that if you're going to do something, you should do it right" he poured out a glass and held it out to Regina, who hesitated, then took it.

"How did you even get this?" she asked him sceptically, raising the glass to her lips "You're nineteen, aren't you?"

Daniel nodded, sipping from his own glass "Yeah. But I know a guy who's twenty-one and he helped me out. Do you want something to eat?"

Regina nodded, and Daniel pulled out a medium sized chocolate cake, he cut her a slice and she ate a bite. It was delicious.

"How can you afford any of this?" Regina asked without thinking "This must've cost you a fortune"

As soon as she said it, she realised her mistake. She looked over at him, panic rocketing through her.

"I-I'm sorry! That came out wrong!"

Daniel however, shook his head, waving off her apology "Regina, it's O.k. Let's just say I owe a few favours to some friends"

Regina dared breathe out, hardly able to believe she had nearly blown it so soon. What was wrong with her? She wasn't normally this...flustered!

A cold gust of wind blew through, and Regina shivered. Daniel frowned.

"Are you cold?" he asked, moving a little closer.

"No, I'm fine I-"

But before she could finish the sentence, Daniel had move that bit closer, and wrapped his arm around her, pressing her into his side and rubbing his hand up and down her arm to warm her.

Regina nearly stopped breathing when their skin touched, her head resting near his shoulder so that she could breathe in his coffee-like smell. He smelled good.

He _felt _good.

"Better?" Daniel asked, and Regina nodded.

"Yes" she said, and he was glad when he didn't pull away.

For a while, they stayed like that, Daniel holding Regina to his body. Then a firefly suddenly popped out in front of them, Daniel noticed and pointed it out to Regina as it hovered in front of them.

"You know what they call this place?" he asked her as the firefly was joined by another, their bright bodies moving around each other in the air.

"No, what?" Regina asked, looking up at him. He smiled.

"They call it Firefly Hill, because at night, the firefly's come out"

As if on cue, another firefly joined the two already out, that was soon joined by another, and another, until by the time Regina and Daniel headed back to Fairytale College, following a lot of talking and laughter, there were what looked like hundreds of luminous insects, dancing in the night sky.

OUAT

As Daniel walked Regina back to her dormitory, their arms threaded together, he asked her a question:

"So, what exactly does a Student Body President do?" he asked, and Regina laughed.

_I like it when she laughs, she sounds so free. _Daniel thought as she answered him.

"Well, I pretty much organize school events like dances, and elections, and I was the face of Parent Visitation" she grimaced, remembering how the meeting with her mother had gone.

Daniel saw the grimace "You don't get along with your parents?" he asked.

"No. My mother especially" she said, shocking herself completely.

_Why would I tell him that?! _She silently screamed at herself. She never told _anyone _about her relationship with her mother!

Before he could press the subject further, she turned the tables on him.

"What about you? Do you get on with your parents?"

"Would be pretty hard to get on with them, they died when I was a baby" Daniel answered.

Regina stopped, pulling Daniel to a halt too. He looked at her in confusion.

"Your parents died?" she repeated, and he nodded, smiling sadly.

"Yeah, but it was a long time ago" he shrugged, and they started walking again "I never even knew them, like I said I was a baby when it happened"

Regina paused before responding, not wanting to sound tactless "So...who raised you?"

"My uncle" he said "He lived on a farm on the other side of the country. It used to be my job to take care of the horses" he laughed at the memory, making his eyes glitter in the moonlight.

"Then, I decided I wanted to go to College. I had the grades, so I applied for a loan, got a job at Stable Eating to pay it off, and here I am"

They were at her door now, and Daniel untangled his arm from Regina's, but still rested a warm hand on her shoulder.

For the first time in...God knows how long, Regina smiled at him, a pure, genuine smile that did something to Daniels heart that made it flutter uncontrollably.

"I...I enjoyed myself tonight" she said, her voice a little breathy. Daniel swallowed.

Great! Out of all the moments to be nervous, he had to pick _this _one!

Daniel fought back his nervousness, and leaned in a little closer to her his breath hitching up a notch.

"Yeah, me too" he whispered, and then he started to lean in further, his breath warm on Regina's cheek as he closed the gap between them and-

The door then burst open, and Abigail Midas stood in the doorway. Daniel and Regina jumped apart and Abigail looked shell-shocked.

"Sorry, Regina!" she squeaked "I...I was just going to meet Fredrick! Did I interrupt something?"

_YES! _"No" she said icily to Abigail, who was barely blinking. She turned back to Daniel, who also looked rather disappointed.

"I'll see you soon?" he asked her, and she nodded, smiling her heart-stopping smile.

"Goodnight, Regina" he called as she moved past the insufferable Abigail, and walked into the dormitory, pausing just to call back one thing.

"Goodnight, Daniel"

And she closed the door.

After she did, Regina went to her room for privacy, and gasped at the night she had had.

He been so romantic, taking her to Firefly Hill, the wine, the cake...and she had even told him about her mother!

Well, not _everything _about her mother, she knew she could ever do that.

Regina stopped, her date with Daniel momentarily forgotten as she remembered the one thing that could destroy everything.

She was usually so good at keeping those memories buried, but tonight they came loose from her control, and started bouncing around her head, flashes of her screaming, of people looking at her like she was scum, of the look of disappointment in her mothers eyes that Regina knew would never be vanquished.

Regina closed her eyes, forcing those memories back. If she dwelled on them she'd just start doing something ridiculous like crying.

Regina sighed. No, she would never tell Daniel, because she was certain that if she did.

She would loose him.

OUAT

A week later, Snow White went to the doctors with James to see how far along she was, and it turned out that she was around five weeks pregnant.

"Oh my God" Snow White said when they got back to James' room "What are we going to do?" she beseeched him, her voice cracking.

"Hey" James soothed her, taking her hands in his "Don't you worry, you're only five weeks along. We have plenty of time to figure all that stuff out" he brushed a lock of black hair back behind her ear, and she smiled tearfully at him. She pulled one of her hands free and placed it over his.

"I know" she said, chuckling shakily, she then moved forward and hugged him tightly, burying her face in the comfort of his neck.

After a few moments, James spoke.

"So...what do we tell people?"

Snow White sighed, and pulled back, looking into his eyes "Nothing. Not yet at least. Just until we...we get used to the idea"

"Not even our parents?"

Snow White didn't respond. But her answer was clear.

James nodded "O.k" and he pulled her into an embrace. Snow White sighed contently and melted into his arms.

And then, James whispered into her ear six simple, but magical words.

"I love you, Snow White Blanchard"

Snow White gasped, it was the first time he had ever said it.

She didn't hesitate, and whispered into his ear:

"I love you too, James Nolan"

He kissed her then, in a way that gave her comfort, happiness, and most importantly, Hope.

OUAT

"Wooo! Royals Rule!"

"We won the final!"

"WE KICKED OGRE ASS!"

"You would think" Rumplestiltskin said to Belle as they watched the Seven Dwarfs and their friends run cheering through the grounds from outside the gym "That the euphoria of winning a football game would wear off after a week"

Belle chuckled lightly. She was used to Rumplestiltskin's jibes about things he considered unimportant.

"It wasn't just _any _football game, Rumple" she chided as she put her notebook back into her bag "It was the first final they've won against the Ogres. Believe it or not, that makes _some_ people happy" Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes. Belle had been going over some notes for her column when he had come up to her, and she had only then noticed then that it was starting to get dark. Then the football fans had come by which led to the whole football game conversation.

"Hey, are you doing anything tonight?" Belle asked him, a slow smile forming on her face.

Rumplestiltskin looked at her, the corners of his lips twitching "No, no I am not..." he said slowly.

"That's good" Belle said softly, her eyes becoming hooded. Rumplestiltskin moved closer to her and Belle's expression changed to one of complete seriousness.

"Because I have all of these French notes to go over, and I really need somewhere quiet to study. You don't mind, do you?"

Belle tried to not to burst out laughing when Rumplestiltskin's face fell slightly. He shook his head.

"...No, that's fine" and he started to turn towards the dorms.

Belle couldn't hold on any more, she exploded into hysterics, doubling over at the waist. She looked up to see Rumplestiltskin facing her, wearing the look of someone who had just realised they had been tricked.

"Belle..." he said in a low voice.

"I'm sorry!" she gasped "But that was _so funny!_"

Rumplestiltskin growled, and the laughter fell away from Belle at the look on his face.

"I'll make you pay for that, Belle" his voice was dangerously low, and he moved closer to her.

Belle stood her ground, folding her arms and cocking her head.

"And how are you-"

She didn't get to finish her sentence, because at that moment Rumplestiltskin shot forward, and captured her lips in a hungry kiss, running his tongue along her bottom lip, his hands sweeping over her body in a way that made her head spin.

As she moved in to deepen the kiss, pressing herself into him and clutching his back, Rumplestiltskin pulled away, grinning smugly at the look of confusion on Belle's face.

"Rumplestiltskin!" Belle cried as he walked away. She heard him laugh and call back:

"No-one tricks me, Dear! Just you remember that!" and he continued to walk until he was out of sight.

Belle sighed hard in frustration, but as she slung her bag over her shoulder, she did laugh a little, shaking her head at his skilfully chosen revenge.

She headed back to her dorm, vowing to never try and play a joke on him again.

OUAT

"Did you get all of that, Gene?" Regina asked from the seclusion of the side of the media building as she watched Belle walk away.

Gene lowered his camera, nodding, a look of shock on his face

"I can't believe it..." he whispered "Belle French and..._him!"_

"I know" Regina said, smirking. She looked down at the camera in Gene's hands. That fool Rumplestiltskin and that idiot daydreamer Belle had been too distracted to hear the clicking as Gene took the photo's of their embrace.

"Come on" Regina said, walking towards the media entrance "We've got to be quick"

Gene nodded "Are...are you seeing Daniel again tonight?" he asked, sounding hopeful.

"Yes" she said simply, and Gene's face fell.

Surprisingly, Regina felt a pang of guilt at the look on his face.

That was strange...a week ago, she would never have given Gene's feelings another thought, but now...

As Regina and Gene walked into the Media centre, she crushed the feeling of guilt, and watched with a feeling of triumph as he developed the photo's that were going to bring that damned Rumplestiltskin Gold to his Spindly Little Knees.

_**Oooh! What will Regina do? Right, that's chapter 6! I'm sorry if it's a little crap but it's pretty much a set-up for what goes on in the next chapter. If you have any ideas please let me know, suggestions are always welcome!**_

_**You know the drill by now, please read and review, and I'll update as soon as I can, my Lovelies!**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time does not belong to me! All characters and references to the show belong to ABC and Channel 5. The references to the Twilight Saga also don't belong to me (You'll see)**_

**O.k, before we begin I would just like to say that, while looking over my previous chapters, I noticed that after chapter 5 I promised you a cat-fight in chapter 6. A cat-fight that I did not deliver on, and I would just like to apologise and say that there is a Belle vs Milah smack down on my profile if you wanna check it out.**

**Anyway, on with the tale! This chapters going to be kind of long because so much happens.**

Once Upon a Time: Schools Out! Chapter 7

It had been around nine days since the Royals had defeated the Ogres, and the long-term ecstasy that had followed had finally simmered down to make way for a new batch of gossip:

Regina Mills was in love.

It wasn't like they had tried especially hard to hide it, they could often be seen walking to classes together, or eating lunch together, or sometimes just standing around talking or, an even rarer feat for the Ice Queen, _laughing._

It was all anyone could talk about, Regina Mills and new student Daniel Hay. The halls filled with people discussing whether or not he was doing it willingly, the girls bathrooms full of girls debating whether they had kissed yet, the dorms crammed with students wondering if he could possibly know about...

It was more than Gene Glass could bear. Every day he had to listen to people talking about Regina and some guy who wasn't _him. _Some days it took all he had not to just scream from the agony in his heart.

He didn't get it, he had been in love with Regina since he had first met her on his first day at College. It had been a sweltering hot day, and she had asked if she could borrow his huge, portable electric fan. All it had taken was just one glance at her beautiful, _beautiful _face, with her full lips pulled back in a smile, and a glance from her dark hooded eyes and boom, he was smitten. He had handed over the fan, grinning like a fool when she breathed out "Thanks Gene" and swished away with the it.

And he was sure she would give it back, one of these days...

He had fallen for her that day, and ever since then he had done everything she'd ever asked him to in the hope that one day, she might fall in love with _him._

But she hadn't. Instead this...this..._bus boy, _had led her away. With his sky-blue eyes and his...his..._smile_...It made the editor of the Mirror burn as he sat in his English Language class, watching Ms Gohrm-who took everything to do with English- as she explained ways that language can be used to portray emotion.

Gene continued to mourn. _He _was Regina's destiny! Not that other guy!

And one way or another, he was going to show her that.

OUAT

Regina was in the girls bathroom next to the science department, touching up her mascara in front of a mirror before Lit.

As she brushed the black liquid onto her eyelashes, her phone buzzed in her jeans pocket. She put down the mascara wand and pulled her phone out. Smiling in the privacy of the empty bathroom when she saw the name on the message she had just received:

"**Just thought I shud tell U, U looked really nice in that skirt yesterday ;)**

**R we meeting up l8r? D x"**

Regina waited a few seconds-so she didn't seem needy-and then texted him back:

"**Thanks **

**Yes, we R, see U 5? I've got some stuff 2 do"**

As she pressed send, the bathroom door suddenly slammed open, and Regina turned just in time to see a black-haired blur hurtle into the nearest cubicle. From within it she could hear a girl retching, then something splashing into the toilet.

Regina grimaced, and turned back to applying her mascara. After a few minuets the retching stopped, the toilet flushed, and Snow White walked out of the cubicle, looking up to see Regina watching her in the mirror.

Snow White froze.

So did Regina, mascara wand hovering in the air.

They hung like that for what felt like an eternity, then Regina cleared her throat and started putting her things away, while Snow White walked up to the mirrors above the sinks, standing next to the other girl. She ran the tap, and started washing the perspiration off of her white skin.

Regina sniffed contemptuously "Having a bad day?" she trilled, her voice overly sweet.

Snow White sighed, and turned to go without answering. But Regina wasn't done with the girl she hated so passionately.

"You know, I would've thought that getting a bun in the oven would be a little out of character for the _Fairest of them all" _she joked cruelly, and chuckled, looking over at Snow White's stiff back "I just hope that it's _Charmings" _she laughed a wickedly, and turned back to the mirror.

Snow White stopped, feeling herself finally starting to snap. Regina's comment adding to the pile of stress and fear she felt with each passing day. This was the last straw.

So she turned, marching back to a bemused Regina, forcing her to look in her hard green eyes.

"For God sakes, Regina why can't you just let it go already?" she snapped "It was five, _months_ ago! Everyone else has forgotten about it!" and Regina started to put her make-up back into her bag, not looking at the girl as she spoke.

"Oh, but Snow" she sighed, speaking lightly "Everyone else wasn't put through what _I _was putthrough" she finally looked at Snow White, who's hard look was gone, and now she couldn't meet her eyes.

"Regina, I-"

"Blanchard, you need to understand something" she interrupted, her voice going from light to hard in a heartbeat "Everyone else might forget, act like nothing ever happened, but I can assure you that I. Never. Will"

Snow White didn't say anything, and Regina started to pull her bag over her shoulder. Then, as Regina turned to go, Snow White said to the floor:

"I regret it"

Regina stopped, sharply turning back to her "What?" she snapped, and Snow White looked up at her, her eyes looking a thousand years old.

"I regret that article. The one that the Mirror printed, saying that I was prettier than you?" she shrugged "It wasn't fair"

Regina didn't answer, processing her enemy's words while keeping the stony look on her face.

Snow White sighed, turning to face her fully: "I know it was five months ago, but I still think about it all the time. About how hurt you were, how you...you poisoned me" she paused, the painful memory of waking up in a hospital, her father and Charming crying by her bedside, flashing into her mind.

"But mostly I...I think about how your mom-"

"Stop" Regina finally spoke, she didn't raise her voice, but it was enough to stop Snow White's speech.

Regina looked at her, this girl, Snow White. She thought she had ruined her life without turning a hair, but now here she was, telling her that she regretted it like she...like she felt _guilty._

Like Regina cared.

"I don't forgive you, Blanchard" she said harshly, and Snow White's face fell a mile "So save your pathetic little speech for someone who cares"

She moved to walk away as Snow White exhaled sadly. As Regina reached the door, Snow White called out in monotone:

"Are you going to tell Daniel?"

Regina paused again, her eyes burning holes in the opposite wall.

"No" and she slammed out of the bathroom.

OUAT

Rumplestiltskin's phone buzzed as he walked out of his Business Studies class at 4:00. he pulled it out of his pants pocket and clicked on the screen to see the message he had been sent.

His eyebrow arched in slight surprise when he saw who it was from:

"**I have a deal to discuss. Meet me in the media building. Regina"**

Rumplestiltskin put his phone back into his pocket, suspicion rising in him at the silly girls request.

However, he was not one to turn down the opportunity to make a deal, and he certainly wasn't about to start now.

So, moving past some freshmen who nearly wet themselves when they saw him, he headed over to the Media building.

OUAT

Regina was already there, sitting at a table waiting for him when he opened the door. Walking into the smell of developing liquid and tape.

She smiled when he walked in, showing her even white teeth as he strode oh-so-confidently over to the table.

"I got your message, Dear" he said lightly, barely glancing at the pieces of paper that rested on the tables surface "You have a deal you wish to discuss?"

Regina nodded, slowly. She was going to _enjoy _this!

"Yes, I do"

"And what exactly is it you want?" he asked her, still ignoring the table.

Regina's smile grew, the want to just blurt it all out almost overwhelming. But she controlled it.

"You. Doing _everything_ I want, and _everything _as I say" she paused, letting it sink in "Free of charge"

Rumplestiltskin's face had been incredulous, but at her last three words he uncharacteristically burst into peals of laughter.

Regina's smile didn't falter, she knew that by the time this little imp left this room, she would have him completely under her control.

Rumplestiltskin's laughs faded until they became a hilarity induced grin on his face.

"And, prey tell, _why _would I agree to those conditions?"

Regina-her smile growing cat-like-gestured with her hand down to the papers scattered across the table.

Rumplestiltskin followed her hand, and when he saw what was on the pieces of paper he had barely taken notice of when he walked in, his grin vanished. Only to be replaced by a cold, humorless look.

On the table lay pictures of him and Belle by the gym two days ago. Pictures of her laughing, of him smiling, and of the passionate kiss he had teased her with when she had played that joke on him.

Rumplestiltskin didn't say a word as Regina chuckled triumphantly at his expression. It was taking everything he had not to leap over the table, grab that bitches head, and pound and pound and pound until there was nothing except a bloody, pulpy mess.

"I must admit, you know, when I saw you two together, I was surprised" she laughed, picking up one of the pictures-the one where they were kissing-and shook her head at it.

"Now, I might not be very fond of the girl, but I thought she had better taste than...well..." she gestured to him "_You" _she sighed, shaking her head again "What will everyone say?"

"What do you want?" Rumplestiltskin finally spoke, his voice low and defeated, making Regina grin from ear to ear.

"Giving in so easy?" she asked, and chuckled again "Didn't think you were so private, Rumple"

"I said what do you want?!" he snapped, not bothering to tell her that he didn't care what people thought of him, but Belle...he couldn't let her be humiliated this way.

Regina laughed happily "Exactly what I said, Rumple!" she said, looking at him like a hunter that had finally cornered her prey.

"I want you to do _everything _I want, and _everything _I say"

"And these?" he said, picking up a photo "They'll disappear?"

Regina shrugged innocently "Maybe they will, maybe they won't. We'll just have to see how..._obedient _you are" she paused, and held out a hand.

"Do we have a deal?"

It went against every fiber in his body, everything in him screamed to just tear up the incriminating photo's and be done with it. But Rumplestiltskin knew she would most definitely have copies.

So he reached out, and grasped her smooth, ice cold hand.

"Deal" he said, forcing his voice to stay even.

"Good. Oh and, one more thing" Regina briefly bent under the table, when she came back up she was holding a square brown envelope in her hand. On it was was written "Maurice French"

It was followed by an address.

"If you do try and get out of this, then these?" she shook the envelope slightly "Will go straight to Belle's father!" she laughed again and stood up. Then, with one sweep of her hand, she scattered the photo's across the room.

"Clean that up" she said carelessly. Watching with immense satisfaction as the Unbeatable College Dealer, Rumplestiltskin, automatically bent to her will.

OUAT

"Tell me what's going on"

Snow White jumped. Out of nowhere Ruby had appeared next to her on the bench outside of the dorms, interrupting her as she went through her avalanche of problems (Number one being: Teenage pregnancy) in her head.

She tried to laugh freely at Ruby "Going on?" she asked, acting like she didn't know what she was talking about "Nothings going on, Rubes!"

Ruby gave her a Look. Snow White was _not_ a good actress.

"Snow, you've been acting weird for over a week!" she said, her tone making it clear she wasn't going to buy any crap from her "You're missing from Practice, you're getting sick all the time...and you've even started avoiding your friends!"

"No I haven't!" Snow White protested, and Ruby crossed her arms, eyebrow raised.

"Oh really? How many times have we hung out in the past week?"

Snow White thought back, and cursed. Other than right now she had barely even spoken to anyone except James.

She sighed "I...I'm sorry, Ruby, I just-"

"I don't need you to be sorry!" Ruby cried "I just want you to admit that there's something wrong!"

Snow White looked into Ruby's eyes, those huge, light brown eyes that looked so pleading and worried for her.

She sighed again, turning to face her properly "Alright" she said, her voice low in case anyone was listening "There...there _is _something going on"

Ruby nodded, and Snow White carried on, her own eyes pleading now.

"But...I'm not ready to talk about it yet, Ruby. I wish I was, but I...I just _can't" _her voice cracked on the last word, the huge lump in her throat at not being able to be completely honest with her best friend causing tears to pool in her eyes.

In a wave of pity, Ruby pulled Snow White into a comforting hug, rubbing little circles into her back as she sobbed. Glaring at those rude enough to stare as they passed.

"O.k, O.k, Snow" she said softly "It's O.k, you don't have to say anything right away. You can talk when you're ready, O.k?"

Snow White, still crying, nodded into her shoulder. Ruby waited for the tears to subside before asking her a question:

"Does Charming know?" she asked, Snow White's head still on her shoulder. Ruby felt her nod again.

"O.k" she said soothingly "That's O.k"

OUAT

If there was one thing that could top watching Rumplestiltskin do whatever she told him, it was being with Daniel. They had just come back from seeing a movie- "Rising Sun"-and now they were hanging out in his room.

"Oh come on!" Daniel protested "A bunch of zombies fighting against a Zombie Government, you didn't think that was a _little _cool?"

Regina laughed, shaking her head at him "No, it was ridiculous!" she said, sitting down on his bed "It simply _screamed _Desperate-Movie-Company-Wants-To-Make-Money!" she laughed again, but Daniel was too busy staring at her to respond. The sight of her on his bed...it drove everything else out of his mind.

Now, Daniel was not the kind of guy who would push a girl to do anything she didn't want to. In fact, he was the guy who would wait for the perfect moment to even kiss one. Which was why he and Regina hadn't even kissed yet.

And right now, he couldn't think of a better moment to do it than this.

Regina's laughter faded as Daniel moved next to her on the bed, one of his arms moving around her so his hand could rest on the spot of blanket that was next to her hip.

For a long moment, they looked into each-others eyes, their breath mingling. Daniel started to lean forward.

"You really thought the movie was bad?" he whispered, his lips inches from hers.

Slowly, Regina nodded her head, forcing some reaction from her frozen state.

"Terrible" she whispered back, making Daniel laugh softly.

And then, he finally pressed his lips to hers, his mouth soft and warm, a hand moving to cup her cheek.

Regina froze when his lips touched hers, she was completely lost in the kiss. Right now, she couldn't form a solid thought, couldn't feel any of her limbs, couldn't remember her own name...it was like everything had faded into the background, and all she could do was feel as hers and Daniels lips moved together in a stolen moment of passion, her hands sliding up his chest to wrap around his neck.

Hesitantly, Daniel moved his tongue to gently probe Regina's lips, seeking entrance. She parted them, her tongue meeting his as they thoroughly explored each-others mouths, their breathing becoming ragged as their kissed became fiercer, hungrier...

Suddenly, Daniel's hand left Regina's cheek, moved to her leg, slid up her thigh, and reached the hem of her shirt...

And when she felt it, Regina felt a shock of panic.

Gasping, Regina broke away, pushing Daniel away and turning her back to him. A furious blush was creeping across her face.

_OhGodOhGodOhGodWHATDIDYOUJUS TDO? _She panicked in her head, her fists clenching either side of her as she felt him shift on the bed.

"Regina?" Daniel said her name hesitantly, moving just a tiny bit closer to her "...Are you O.k?"

Regina took a deep breath before answering, keeping her voice steady instead of moaning in humiliation like she wanted to. Her voice came out stammery as she answered him.

"I...I'm not...I'm not ready for_ that_ yet"

"Oh" she heard him say, he didn't sound disappointed or angry. More...enlightened.

"I'm sorry" he apologised sincerely, gently touching her arm "I didn't mean to go to move to fast-"

Regina sighed, so embarrassed. She couldn't believe she was going to do this!

But she had to tell him, so she summoned up every bit of courage she had, and blurted it out:

"I'm a virgin, Daniel!"

The silence that fell in the room was deafening. Slowly, Daniel removed his hand, and a mortified Regina turned to face him.

Out of her un-ending embarrassment, she was surprised to see that he did not look annoyed or amused like she thought he would. Instead, he just looked a faintly amazed.

After a long, _long _silence, Daniel looked up and met Regina's eyes.

"A virgin?" he repeated. Regina sighed and nodded.

"Yes, I...I've never..." she tried to finish the sentence, but it lodged in her throat and refused to come out, so she settled for an awkward silence.

Daniel meanwhile, was insanely amazed. How could it be that this girl, this _beautiful, _sexy woman, had never had sex?

As he thought that, conversations he'd had with several boys during his first few days sprung to his mind, and he spoke to Regina again:

"I just have one question" he said, and Regina nodded.

He hesitated, wondering if there was any way he could make this come out right.

"If you're still a virgin, then how come a...a few days after I came here, some of the guys here told me that they-"

Regina cut him off with a contemptuous sniff. She looked pissed and Daniel started to panic, thinking he had offended her and she was now about to leave in a furious rage.

However, Regina merely shook her head in irritation.

"A while after I got here" Regina explained "My moth-I started to think that I needed a boyfriend, so..." Regina trailed off slowly shaking her head again "I started to use my..._talents, _to try and get someone to to fill the opening. But I never slept with them!" she snapped harshly, looking at Daniel as though daring him to judge her "I never did! Because I couldn't force myself to...to do _that _with someone I-"

She stopped in mid-sentence, cursing herself for saying too much, for coming so close to revealing too much, too soon.

Again, Daniel had fallen silent, simply looking at her with an expression that was completely unreadable. Regina moved back from him, her head bowing and hands gripping the blanket as though she would never let go.

But then, Daniel slowly reached out, and took one of her hands in his. He then gently put a finger under Regina's chin and guided her head until she was looking at him, and Regina was stunned at the amount of kindness and understanding in them.

"Someone who you what?" he asked gently, and Regina swallowed back all her fear, all of her pride, and gave him a completely honest answer:

"I didn't want to do that, with someone I didn't _love" _she whispered, and Daniel took her into his arms in a comforting embrace. Regina folded into him, loving his warmth, and the feel of his strong body pressed against hers.

After a while, they broke apart, and Daniel carefully looked into Regina's dark brown eyes.

"Regina, I would never, _never"_ he repeated forcefully, shaking his head to add emphasis "Make you do something you weren't ready for, please believe me"

"I...I do" she said, holding back tears that threatened to spill over from the feeling of protection and care that she was so unused to receiving.

And to show him just how much she trusted him, she leaned over and kissed him. Putting her trust, her care, everything she had into this one simple, innocent kiss.

OUAT

It was the next day, and Belle was knocking on Rumplestiltskin's bedroom door, demanding that he let her in.

"Rumplestiltskin, just let me in!" she cried, her knocking unrelenting "I know you're in there, I can hear you moving around!"

After a solid ten more minuets of her knocking and calling-and several students who were trying to get an after-class nap calling for him to just let her the Hell in-the door opened, and Belle walked inside.

Rumplestiltskin was sat on his bed, his back to her and head lowered.

Belle strode over and stood in front of him, hands on her hips and wanting an explanation.

"Rumple, _what _is going on?!" she cried "You didn't call me last night, and I just spent the last twenty minuets knocking on your door!"

Rumplestiltskin didn't answer, didn't say anything, because the explanation he would have to give as to why he didn't call her was just too humiliating.

Last night, after he had cleaned up that bitches mess, she had made him go and get her Dry Cleaning. He remembered how smug she had looked when he delivered it.

God, he wanted to kill himself.

No, scratch that, he wanted to kill _her! _And laugh while doing it!

"Rumple! Look at me!" Belle demanded, and slowly, Rumplestiltskin met her gaze. She looked angry and confused.

"What, Belle?" he whispered, and Belle sighed in frustration.

"Tell me why you were ignoring me" she stated, Rumplestiltskin exhaled and got up, walking over to the other side of the bed.

Belle's eyes narrowed, her brain working quickly "Has something happened?" she asked, and Rumplestiltskin laughed softly.

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with, Dear" he said, not looking at her.

Belle moved a little closer to him, anger disappearing and being replaced by fear. She knew he sometimes dealt with people who were...scary, and wondered what he had gotten himself into now.

"Rumple, What is it? Maybe if you tell me I can help"

Rumplestiltskin fought off another laugh. No, there was no way Belle was getting mixed up in his deal with Regina.

"You can't" he said, still refusing to look at her, fearing he would crack if he did.

"Rumplestiltskin" Belle said, reaching out to touch his arm and gently turning him towards her big, pleading blue eyes.

"Please tell me" she whispered.

Rumplestiltskin sighed, reaching out himself to caress her cheek. Her skin was so soft.

Dammit, why did she have this effect on him?!

Rumplestiltskin sighed, and told her everything "I'm being blackmailed by Regina Mills"

Belle blinked "What?!"

"She knows about us" he said, and Belle's face went white, the power of speech momentarily lost to her.

"She has photo's of us by the Gym. She told me that unless I..." he trailed off, God, this was going to be the most embarrassing thing he'd ever had to admit.

"Unless you what?" Belle persisted, fearing the worst.

Rumplestiltskin smiled softly, his thumb brushing the skin on her face "Unless I submit to her every command, she was going to tell everyone about us, and give the photo's to your father"

Belle stared at him, her eyes stormy with unimaginable fury. Somehow keeping her composure, she nodded.

"Then you know what we have to do, don't you?" she said, her voice toneless.

Rumplestiltskin frowned "What"

Belle kept looking at his eyes, trying to keep her voice steady "We have to tell everyone. It's time"

Rumplestiltskin's eyes widened "Belle! No we-"

"We have to!" she broke in before he could argue, and then continued venomously "Because there is absolutely no way the boy I love is going to be a personal Errand Boy for that crazy bitch, Regina Mills!"

Rumplestiltskin didn't answer, going over the words she had just said, replaying them over and over in case he had imagined them.

"The boy you what?" he breathed.

Belle's white face suddenly turned scarlet as she realised what she had just said. No going back now, the words had been spoken. She couldn't take them back.

"I...I'm sorry" she whispered, her face now burgundy "I...It's just the way I feel, I...I don't know if you...if you feel the same, but-"

He cut off her words with a kiss, and when he broke away from her he was smiling like she had never seen him smile before.

"I love you too, Belle" he whispered, and despite the situation Belle grinned and flung herself back into his arms. He kissed the crown of her head, and then moved to whisper in her ear.

"So...you truly think it's time?" he asked, and Belle nodded into his shoulder.

"Rum, we've got no choice"

Rumplestiltskin exhaled loudly, and then pulled away so he could look at her.

"When do you want to tell your friends?" he asked, and Belle pulled out her phone. She started to dial Ruby's number.

"Tonight" she said.

"And your father?"

Belle hesitated. She swallowed.

"He can wait"

OUAT

Half an hour later, Ruby, Peter, Snow White, James, Ella and Thomas were sat at their usual table in Stable Eating. They had all received a call from Belle, asking them to meet her at the Deli because she had something important to tell them.

They sat there for ten minuets, discussing what she could want to tell them, the most popular suggestion being she was finally going to reveal the identity of her Secret Boyfriend (Which sure as Hell wasn't the obviously gay Gaston Rose)

After ten minuets, Belle walked in, crossed the Deli floor to their table, and sat down in silence, her eyes on the tables surface.

Everyone stared at her, waiting for her to speak. She pulled her head up and looked each of them in the eye.

She then took a deep breath, and finally spoke:

"Thanks for coming on such short notice. I hope I'm not keeping you from anything"

They all mumbled denials. Ella leaned forward.

"Belle, why did you call us here?" she asked, while Ruby followed suit, leaning towards Belle.

"Is it about your Secret Boyfriend?!" she gasped.

"Ruby!" Ella chided her, but Ruby ignored her, still looking at Belle, her eyes sparkling.

"Are you going to tell us who he is?!" she asked excitedly.

Belle hesitated and then nodded.

"Oh!" Ella squealed.

"My!" Snow White cried.

"_God!" _Ruby squeaked happily.

The boys just stared at her, eyebrows raised, waiting for her to tell them who it was.

"WhoIsHe WhoIsHe WhoIsHe?!" Ruby chanted excitedly, banging the table with her palm.

Snow White and Ella stared at her too, their eyes bright with excitement.

Belle sighed again, pulling out her phone and dialling a number. Before she pressed Call, she told them one last thing.

"I just want you all to promise me one thing" she said, her voice hitching from fear.

Her friends nodded, their eyes big and impatient.

Belle took another calming breath "Promise...you won't judge me, and you'll let me explain"

They nodded again, frowning slightly now as she pressed call, and put the phone to her ear.

"_Belle?" _Rumplestiltskin-who was waiting outside the Deli door-answered.

"You can come in now" she said, glancing nervously up at her friends. Snow White and Ella were craning their heads around their men to stare at the door, while Ruby was actually standing up to see over the heads of other diners.

"_Alright" _Rumplestiltskin answered, hanging up.

Belle suppressed a smile. If she didn't know any better, she'd say he was nervous.

She put her phone back in her pocket, turning around in her chair just in time to see Rumplestiltskin enter the Deli.

From behind her, Belle could hear gasps, a "_What?!_" from James, and a whispered "Oh. My. _God!" _from Ruby.

Belle didn't turn around until Rumplestiltskin joined her at the table, sitting down next to her with a completely calm-and even slightly bored-look on his face.

However, when he took her hand under the table, she could feel that his palm was slightly damp.

"Good evening" Rumplestiltskin said, and Belle finally turned to see their reactions.

It was just as bad as she had always imagined it. James was watching Rumplestiltskin with a look of hard suspicion, while Snow White just stared, her eyes as round as dinner-plates. Thomas' hand crept protectively over Ella's, who had another hand covering her mouth, stunned.

Peter, who didn't really know Belle, and only knew Rumplestiltskin through reputation, wore a simple "Oh my God" look.

Ruby however, looked like she was having trouble not exploding. She had risen off her seat slightly, her eyes looking like they would pop out of her head at any moment, and her jaw wide open in a huge, open mouthed grin of shock.

"Oh. My. GOD!" she squealed again, sitting down and staring at Rumplestiltskin like she had never seen another human before in her life "_You?!" _she gasped.

Rumplestiltskin nodded, looking faintly amused at Ruby's reaction.

"Yes" he said, and she squealed again "Me"

"B-Belle..." Snow White stuttered, and Belle turned to her. She was staring at her in amazement, her head shaking ever so slightly.

"What...How long has this been going on for?"

And it was at that question, where the floodgates finally opened:

"How did you two get together?" Ella asked.

"Who asked who out?" Ruby butted in.

"Have you even _told _your dad?" Snow White asked.

"Screw that!" Ruby blew her off "Was he the one who gave you that rose necklace?"

"Have you said I Love You yet?" Ella burst out

"Ella!" Belle cried, starting to go red, the rose necklace she still wore scorching her skin.

She could her Rumplestiltskin laughing softly. Belle shot him a glare.

Ella leaned back in her seat, a guilty grin spreading across her face "Sorry"

Belle went a deeper shade of red. Everyone was still staring at her, waiting for answers, their eyes wide.

Belle however, appeared to be too embarrassed to answer the questions she had been avoiding for months .

So instead, Rumplestiltskin answered for her:

"To answer your questions" he said, without a trace of wavering confidence as everyone stared at him "This has been _going on, _for two months, we got together when she temporarily transferred to Lit and we were paired for a project, she was the one to ask me 'Out', no, we haven't told her father, yes, I was the one to give her the rose necklace, and" he paused, looking at Ella-who tried and failed to keep eye contact-as he answered her final question.

"Whether or not we have said I Love You, is none of your business" he said smoothly, causing Thomas' hand to tighten on Ella's the same time Belle's clenched underneath Rumplestiltskin's.

Suddenly, Ruby started giggling, and everyone looked at her. A hand was over her mouth in an effort to suppress the giggles. She waved the curious looks away. Her laughter now completely silent.

"I'm...sorry!" she gasped "It's just...Belle and..._Rumplestiltskin Gold!" _she exploded into laughter, her head pressing into Peters shoulder. Peter himself looked ever so slightly scared.

For a moment, they all stared at her like the crazy person she clearly was. Then, Belle sighed, and chuckled lightly.

"So" she said to them "Now you know"

_Now there's just my father _she thought with dread as a bus boy came up to the table.

Rumplestiltskin looked up from his still-pink beauty, and saw that standing above her was Daniel Hay.

Who was Regina Mills' boyfriend.

_Regina..._

A small, evil smile crept over Rumplestiltskin's face, and he stood up sharply, completely oblivious to the stares he was getting as he spoke to a clueless Daniel.

"Your girlfriend is insane" he told him.

"What?" Daniel said, completely bewildered. He then glared at him "Well, who do you think you are to say that?!" he snapped.

Then Rumplestiltskin fixed Daniel with a terrifying look, and Daniel backed down a little.

"Mr Hay, I was simply referring to the fact that our beloved President of the Student Body-and your other half-tried to blackmail me yesterday by threatening to reveal mine and Belle's-" he gestured to her, Daniel looked down at her and she raised her hand in an awkward wave.

"-relationship to her father" Rumplestiltskin told him, and Daniel shook his head in disbelief while everyone at the table-except for Ruby who was still laughing into Peters shoulder-watched with wide eyes.

"No...why would she...no, you're lying"

Rumplestiltskin grinned where Belle couldn't see. This was just too good.

"Am I?" he asked him, his Scottish accent smooth as he spoke "I still have copies of the photo's, Daniel. If you like, I can take you back to College and show you"

Daniel stared at him, wanting nothing more than to punch the smug bastard in the face.

However, Daniel didn't punch him, and instead put down his tray and took off his apron.

As he did so, Rumplestiltskin spoke into Belle's ear "This shouldn't take long, sweetheart. Will you be alright for a lift back?"

Belle nodded, too astounded by what had just unfolded to speak.

Belle sat down, and Daniel and Rumplestiltskin headed outside to his car.

No-one spoke for several minuets, then, Ruby emerged from Peters shoulder, grinning at Belle.

"So, have you slept with him yet?"

"RUBY!" the other three women yelled.

Ruby shrugged, unashamed.

"What?"

OUAT

Regina was walking towards the dorms, wearing the black pants and white, long sleeved shirt that Rumplestiltskin-_yes, _Rumplestiltskin, her new errand boy!-had picked up for her, when her phone buzzed.

She pulled it out of her pocket, and smiled. Daniel was calling her.

She swept her thumb across the touch screen and pressed the phone to her ear.

"Daniel?" she said into it.

"Can you meet me in the Media building?" he asked "I want to talk to you about something"

Regina frowned, there was something in his voice...something about it wasn't right.

"Is everything O.k?" she asked him.

"Yeah" was his curt reply "Can you come and meet me? I'm already in the Media building"

"O.k" Regina said slowly.

"Great. See you in a second"

He hung up, and Regina made her way over to the building, confusion and dread rising in her.

OUAT

"Daniel?" she called as she came in.

"I'm here" he said. He was stood in front of the table she had been sat in the previous day, and was holding something behind his back.

Regina started to walk towards him. She was about to ask him what he was hiding, when he threw it down onto the table.

"I know what you did" Daniel said, and Regina looked down.

It was like a huge rock had slammed into her, pinning her to where she stood as she stared at what she thought to be mere pieces of paper, but were actually the photo's of Rumplestiltskin and Belle.

There was only one reason Daniel would have these.

_Rumplestiltskin._

That twisted little imp! She was going to _destroy _him-

"They all know" Daniel told her, and Regina looked up at him. His face was cold, no emotion showing.

She couldn't bear it "What?" she whispered.

"Rumplestiltskin and his girlfriend? They told everyone that they were together" he paused, his eyes never leaving her face "So your attempt to blackmail that poor girl didn't work"

"No!" Regina cried, rushing forward "No, Daniel! I didn't try to blackmail Belle! I swear I-"

"But you tried to blackmail that other guy!" he snapped at her "Rumplestiltskin Gold! He told me that you were making him act like some _servant!"_

Regina raised her hands and gripped Daniels forearms, begging him with touch to listen to her:

"Daniel_, _listen to me! It wasn't like that-"

"Just tell me why, Regina!" Daniel cut across her, his eyes dark. She froze.

"Tell me _why, _why would you want to do that to someone?" he demanded, and Regina let go of his arms.

She backed away a couple of steps, and answered with her voice emotionless, and her head held high.

"Because...he called me crazy"

Daniel laughed in disbelief, shaking his head at her "And for that, he and that Belle girl deserved to be _blackmailed?"_

Regina took a deep breath, slightly raising a hand palm-out into the air.

"Daniel, please, you don't understand-"

"You're right" he said, and he started to move past her, when he reached her, he glared into her face.

"I _don't _understand" and he moved towards the door.

_No!_

"No! Daniel, wait!" Regina cried as his hand touched the door handle, tears were starting to form in her eyes.

"Daniel, please!" begging, she was actually _begging _now. Bringing back those buried memories of the last time she begged, memories that she just couldn't seem to keep down.

And then she realised.

If she wanted to make him understand, to keep Daniel with her, she was going to have to tell him.

And tell him everything.

Daniel had paused at the door handle, and Regina started to speak again, her voice was shaking from what was to come.

"Daniel" she pleaded "Please, just give me one chance to explain"

For a moment, Daniel didn't move, then he sighed, and turned to her.

He nodded "O.k. One chance"

Regina sighed herself in relief, and then began her tale:

"Five months ago, there was some business with a girl, called Snow White Blanchard"

Daniel nodded, but didn't interrupt her.

"She had transferred to Fairytale College two months before, and everyone thought she was really...beautiful. More beautiful than me.

"When I was growing up, my...my mother had convinced me that I had to be perfect, to be better than anyone else, to be smarter than anyone else. To be...to be more beautiful than anyone else"

She watched Daniel, and his expression had softened slightly.

She continued:

"I got jealous of Snow White, _really _jealous. But I managed to keep it hidden, never letting on how I really felt, but then, two months after she came to the school, the Mirror wrote an article, calling her the Fairest of them All.

"Everyone agreed with it, everyone said that she was the most beautiful girl in the world. I would see people running up to her to tell her that, calling her Fairest instead of Snow White. In the end, I snapped"

Again, she looked up at Daniel, praying he still stuck around when he heard the next part of the story:

"So one day, while Snow White was at cheer leading practice, I took an apple she had in her bag, and injected it with some chemicals I bought off a dealer. Snow White ate the apple, and it put her into a coma"

Daniels arms had shot upwards, and his mouth was hanging slightly open. But he hadn't run yet. Regina took that as a positive sign.

"After a week they managed to wake her up, something to do with her boyfriend James Nolan, I don't know...anyway, it turned out that her friend Belle had seen me putting the drugs into the apple, she told Snow White and they called the police"

"Oh my God..." Daniel whispered "Regina-"

She held up a hand to silence him "My story's not over"

He frowned in confusion, but allowed her to continue:

"After they arrested me, they put me on trial. My mother came and she..." Regina gasped, the wave of pain as each memory resurfaced almost staggering.

"She convinced them not to put me in jail, and instead serve three months in a Mental Institution" she paused as Daniel let out a low gasp. She nodded.

"My own mother had me put in a straight jacket, and _sectioned" _her voice cracked, and tears rolled down her cheeks. When she carried on her voice was starting to shake violently.

"After I came back, I found out that everybody knew. Everybody _knew _that I had been institutionalised, and the way that they would look at me...for months I had to put up with people treating me like I was a Goddamn _bomb _about to go off...keeping away from me...calling me crazy..." she stopped, she had too, the threat of the hysterical tears that were trying to push themselves through her forcing her into silence.

She then felt arms around her, a chest pressing into her forehead, and she realised that Daniel had taken her into his arms.

And then, she finally began to cry.

"Hey" he whispered, stroking her back "Regina, hey, it's O.k"

He didn't say anything after that, he just held her as she sobbed her heart out into his shirt, clutching him as if she would never let go, finally freeing herself of the emotional burden she had been carrying for far too long.

Finally, Regina stopped crying, and, ignoring the dampness of his work shirt, Daniel looked into her tear-soaked face.

"Regina, I want you to listen to me, what happened to you..." he paused, shaking his head at the horror of it all "It was one of the most traumatic things that can happen to a person"

He cupped the side of her face in his hand as he spoke, and she lightly pressed into it as he continued talking:

"But...taking revenge on people for the least little reminder, looking for ways to bring them down...That's no way to get over it. The only thing it does do, is keep the pain fresh, and that means it never, _never_ goes away"

More tears rolled down Regina's cheeks, and she hiccuped another sob.

"So...what doI do?" she asked him tearfully.

Daniel smiled, and kissed her forehead. She sighed.

"You have to face up to it, Regina. Stop punishing everyone for what happened, and just accept that it's a part of your life" he kissed her wet cheek, stroking her hair.

"And I'll be right beside you every step of the way"

Regina looked up at him again, into those beautiful eyes more blue than sapphires, and she knew at once that he was right.

She didn't have to stay angry at the world, to try and force that time, that terrible time, into non-existence.

She needed to finally accept what happened, and just...move on.

And with Daniels sincere promise to help her, she thought she could do it.

So she pulled away from him, and headed towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Daniel called after her, and she turned back to him as she put a hand on the door handle:

She sighed, starting to smile "To get rid of that letter to Belle's father"

Daniel flashed her a smile of pure pride, and Regina walked out of the Media building.

OUAT

Gene Glass watched from the College gates as Regina walked to the dormitory's, watching her walk confidently and precisely as always to her own building.

He loved the way she walked, the way she spoke, the way her eyes lit up when she was talking about the next person she wanted to destroy, despite his discomfort with ruining a life.

Like that Rumplestiltskin Gold. She had said so herself she wanted to bring him down. Show him who was boss, where he stood in the pecking order of life.

Gene was sure that if Rumplestiltskin was destroyed-emotionally-Regina would be happier than a kid experiencing their first Christmas.

And in his hand was the thing that was going to do it.

Gene looked down to the square, brown envelope that had "Maurice French" and his address written on it in Regina's elegant handwriting. He had gotten it from her room while she was in Lit.

Regina had known what would happen to Belle if Maurice ever found out about her relationship with, not Football Defender Gaston Rose, but the College Dealer Rumplestiltskin Gold.

He'd probably take her out of here faster than that imp could blink. And he would be _shattered. _

It was so clever of her. Another thing the Mirror reporter loved about that girl.

And once Regina found out that it was Gene who had brought such a scary guy to his knees, well...who knew _what _would happen?

So, smiling to himself, Gene walked out of Fairytale College, and headed to the post-office.

_**Uh Oh! Gene, what're you DOING?!**_

_**Right! This took me forEVER to write (13 pages!...13!) so I hope you enjoy it, please read and review, and I shall bring you the next chapter when I have recovered from writing this one (seriously people, some of my fingers are in casts)**_

_**P.S wanna know a weird fact? There's a teacher at my College called Miss Blanchard...Spooky.**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time does not belong to me! All characters and references to the show belong to ABC and Channel 5. I also don't own Beauty and the Beast or any of it's songs, all of which belong to the immortal Walt Disney. **_

Once Upon a Time: Schools Out!: Chapter 8

**Friday, 7th December**

**Fairytale College Winter Dance**

**8:00pm, College Gym**

**Refreshments supplied, no alcohol**

"No booze? What the Hell?!" Grumpy yelled in scandal. His fellow Dwarfs nodded and grumbled in agreement as Snow White and Charming looked at the colourful notice posted on the wall in the school hallway.

"Are any of you guys gonna go?" Snow White asked the Dwarfs. Most of them nodded begrudgedly while the more polite ones-in other words, Happy, Dopey and Bashful-said "Yeah, sure, why not?"

Snow White suddenly grinned at them "Oh, really? Do any of you know who you're going with?"

Charming chuckled softly as, predictably, the Dwarfs started coughing and stammering, while Bashful went burgundy and Dopey giggled nervously and ducked his head.

"W-what?" Grumpy stammered, staring horror-stuck at Snow White. Her grin widened.

"Well, it is a dance. Surely you're gonna want to take dates?"

Doc suddenly laughed "Well, we all know who _Grumpy_ wants to take, don't we boys?" he joked to the other Dwarfs while Grumpy glared.

Sneezy chuckled, and raised his head slightly, clasped his hands together, and gazed at the ceiling dreamily.

"_Ms Novaaaa" _he trilled, and Snow White nearly laughed out loud at Grumpy's blush. It was practically common knowledge that the only reason he was taking Politics was because he had the hots for the pretty young teacher, Ms Nova.

"Shut-up!" Grumpy growled as his friends continued to laugh at him. Still grumbling he turned and marched away with his so-called pals hot on his heels, continuing to tease him as he walked.

After the Dwarfs had gone, Snow White turned to face James. She smiled up at him.

"So" she said, nodding at the sign "What do you think?"

"The dance?" Charming said, eyebrow raised "Are you sure you wanna go? what with..."

He didn't finish the sentence, he didn't need to. Snow White sighed.

"It might not be the best idea, but...I just want a little bit of _normal_ before we have to face up to _this_" she said, dropping her hand to her still-flat stomach. She was only a few days over five weeks pregnant now, and there wasn't even the smallest bump. Yet.

Charming frowned "Face up to it? You mean..." his eyes widened as he realised what she was saying.

Snow White nodded again "After the dance, I think we should tell our parents"

Charming swallowed, and stared at the wall with a blank expression. For a moment Snow White thought he was going to pass out, but then he nodded, and turned his eyes back to hers.

"Then...I suppose there's only one thing left to do"

Snow White frowned "What?"

Charming laughed softly, and gave her a quick, soft kiss. He then took both of her hands in his and asked her a question:

"Snow White Blanchard...will you go to the dance with me?"

Snow White laughed, and smiled happily before reaching up to kiss him again.

"What do you think?"

OUAT

Following the next two days, Fairytale College was full of pupils frantically asking for dates to the dance. All over campus there could be seen boys stammering, girls crying, and, in some cases, newly founded couples embracing.

All of Belle's friends were going to the dance. Ruby was going with Peter (both of whom would be announcing they were exclusive any day now) Snow White was going with James, and Ella was going with Thomas.

There was just one person amongst them who hadn't been asked.

Her.

"Rumplestiltskin, _please?!" _Belle begged, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and talking into his ear.

Rumplestiltskin sighed "Belle, people are looking" he said, glancing up from the bench in the center of the dorms where they were sitting. He wasn't wrong, most of the onlookers looked like their eyes were going to pop out of their heads.

Inwardly, he sighed. So _this _is what a public relationship is like...

"I don't care!" Belle said, and she too took a turn glancing up at the people who were staring at them like they were some sort of sideshow attraction.

"_Rumplestiltskin!" _Belle continued to beg "_Please, _can we go to the dance?"

"Why do you even _want _to go?" he asked her incredulously, turning away from the laptop from where he had been writing his Lit paper, and facing her red-lipped pout.

Belle shrugged "Because it'll be _fun!" _she told him, and he rolled his eyes at her.

"I seriously doubt that, love" he said, turning back to his computer.

From beside him he heard Belle sigh. He then felt her breath on his neck as she moved closer to him.

"Rumple" she whispered sweetly "If you say yes, I _might _turn up in that gold dress you like so much..." she breathed, kissing his cheek.

Rumplestiltskin's head snapped to face her and she pulled away, a small smile playing on those rosy lips.

He raised an eyebrow at her, his own grin threatening to break through. She was getting _far _too good at this.

Rumplestiltskin sighed, raising his hands slightly in defeat.

"Alright!" he surrendered "I'll take you to the dance"

Belle clapped her hands and actually _squealed _in delight. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek again.

"Thank-you, thank-you, _thank-you!" _she squealed happily.

Rumplestiltskin laughed, and closed the lap-top. He didn't even know why he bothered trying to do coursework when Belle was here to distract him.

Moments after Belle released him, the melody "Tale as Old as Time" started coming out of Belle's pocket, and she removed her cell phone from her skirt.

"Oh" she said as she pressed the button to receive the call "It's Papa" she added, lifting the phone to her ear.

"Papa?" she said into it.

"_Belle French, you have got A-LOT of explaining to do!" _Moe French yelled into the phone, making Belle flinch and her eyes widen in shock.

"Papa? What're you talking about?" she asked, shrugging at Rumplestiltskin's questioning look.

Mr French continued to yell at her "_I know about you and that boy, Belle! You and that monster Rumplestiltskin Gold!"_

Belle's voice froze in her throat, she stopped being able to blink, and her phone became slick from the sweat in her palm.

After they had told her friends about them, both Rumplestiltskin and Belle had wanted to put off telling their parents for as long as they could, fearing their reactions.

So they hadn't said anything, especially after Regina herself had told them she'd gotten rid of the letter to her father.

But now here he was, on her phone, screeching that he knew _everything._

Mr Frenches voice continued to fire through the communication device at his daughter, sounding more and more angry by the second.

"_Belle! Answer me!" _he bellowed, and she snapped out of her dazed state long enough to stammer out an answer:

"W-what?" she stuttered, glancing at Rumplestiltskin in horror.

"_I said, IS IT TRUE?!" _he roared. Belle winced.

"I-" she tried, floundering around in her head for an excuse, anything with the slightest plausibility.

Then, she happened to look over at her boyfriend, who had stayed with her, looking puzzled at the expression on his face. His warm, dark brown eyes staring into hers.

Belle sighed. She couldn't hide it anymore.

And what would be the point anyway? Her father clearly knew now.

"Y-yes Papa" she stammered, keeping her eyes on Rumplestiltskin "It's true"

"_How COULD you, Belle?!" _Mr French shouted, causing tears to prick in Belles eyes "_How could you do this to Gaston?!"_

Belle nearly laughed when he said that. Nearly. Laughing at this moment could be fatal.

"Papa" she explained gently "G-Gaston is actually...seeing someone else" she didn't say what gender this "Someone Else" was "He was my...cover guy"

"_You TRICKED me?!" _he bellowed, there was a pause in which he took a few deep, calming breaths. When he spoke again, his voice was dangerously low.

"_Belle, I know of this Rumplestiltskin's reputation, he's no good for you! You must end it with him immediately!"_

Belle gasped, agonised "Papa! No, I-"

"_Belle-!"_

"_I love him, Papa!" _she screeched into the phone, standing up and stamping on the ground, causing quite a few heads to turn in her direction, but she was too focused on what her father was saying.

His voice had become quiet, and there was open horror and disbelief in his tone.

"_You love him?" _he repeated.

"Yes" Belle whispered, tears pooling in the corners of her eyes.

"_I see" _Mr French replied, and Belle started to hope.

But then:

"_Belle, start packing your things. Tomorrow I'm coming to that school and I'm getting you away from that boy!"_

Again, Belle froze, horror rooting her to the spot as she gasped into the phone.

He was coming here...he was going to pull her out...take her away from the College...away from her friends.

Away from Rumplestiltskin.

"Papa, _no" _she pleaded "Please, don't make me leave!"

Mr French sighed "_It's for your own good, Belle. I'll come and pick you up tomorrow afternoon"_

"Papa!" Belle wailed, tears falling down her cheeks "_Please!"_

Another sigh _"Belle, it's what needs to be done. Ever since these photo's came-"_

At the mention of photo's, Belle stopped listening. Her tears dried up, and her voice was dangerously calm as she interrupted her father:

"Photo's?" she said, he tone slightly shaky from tears "What do you mean, _photo's?"_

Mr French paused in mid-sentence, and answered her strange question in confusion.

"_...Some photo's of you and that..._boy-" God only knew what adjectives he was silently including "_-__together came through the post today, I don't know who they were from but thank God they did so I __could stop-"_

"Papa" Belle interrupted him again, rage and betrayal rising in her "Did...did these photo's come in a brown, square envelope?" she whispered. Describing the package Rumplestiltskin had told her about.

"_Well, yes. But Belle-"_

Belle couldn't hear him anymore, tears of anger and betrayal were falling from her face. She was gripping her cell phone so hard it felt like it was about to break.

_Regina..._

That lying _COW!_

"Papa" Belle said, her voice shaking again "I've got to go. Goodbye"

"_I'll be there tomorrow, Belle"_ Mr French reminded her sternly, and Belle felt her stomach twist "_I am taking you out of that school, and you're not seeing that _beast _again! It's for your own good, my girl"_

And on that note, he hung up.

Slowly, Belle put her phone back into her pocket, and turned back to Rumplestiltskin.

She nearly gasped in fear. She had never seen him look this way. His face was completely white with rage, his knuckles the same colour from the fists they were clenched in, and his eyes were almost black with anger. She didn't know how much he had gotten from her side of the conversation, but clearly it was enough.

He turned those terrifying eyes to Belle's tear streaked face.

"He knows?" Rumplestiltskin hissed, and Belle nodded.

"She lied to us, Rumple" Belle said, her voice shaking with emotion "Regina lied, she sent my papa those photos!" she gasped, trying to hold more tears back as Rumplestiltskin slowly stood up, shaking his head.

"He says he's coming here tomorrow, he's going to pull me out of College, he says he doesn't want me to see you again!"

Rumplestiltskin came forward and wrapped his arms around her, holding her to his chest as she sobbed.

"That's not going to happen, Belle" he whispered, glaring at on-lookers until they scurried off to wherever they needed to be.

"How could she, Rum?" she mumbled into his shirt, and his grip tightened on her, anger building in him. "How could she lie like that? How could she tell him?"

"She's twisted, Belle" Rumplestiltskin answered in a low growl, looking over at the Mills' dormitory and sending fiery glares into it's walls.

"She's twisted, and I'm going to make sure she pays for it"

OUAT

"Regina Mills, will you go to the dance with me?"

Regina smiled ecstatically at Daniel, and nodded.

"Yes! Yes, of course I will!" she laughed, kissing him. Her hands caressed Daniels neck and he stopped being able to think straight.

This was what it was like for him, being with Regina, never being able to make one clear thought when he was with her and loving every second of it.

God, he thought she was amazing.

He had come up to Regina's dorm room around ten minuets earlier, butterflies fluttering in his stomach as he asked her to the Colleges Winter Dance.

If he was honest, a small part of him thought that the Student Body President would cast aside the Bus-Boy for some other prize to take to the dance...Basketball Jock Graham Hunter perhaps.

But no, she'd stuck with him. And he sure as Hell wasn't about to complain!

At that moment, there were urgent, arguing voices outside of the dorm room, followed quickly by a furious hammering on the door.

"Mills!" came a male Scottish yell amidst the furious knocking "Open the door, NOW!"

"Rumple, stop!-" another voice joined the boys. Female this time.

A voice that was ignored.

"_Regina!" _the boy-who Daniel faintly recognised as Rumplestiltskin Golds-roared, hammering harder on the door so that it nearly came off the hinges.

"Good God, what the Hell does _he _want?" Regina muttered as, despite Daniels protests, she got up and opened the door.

"What do you-" she started, but Rumplestiltskin cut her off with his livid words:  
"You disgusting little _liar!" _he roared in her face, causing her to back up into her room. Rumplestiltskin only followed her, tailed by Belle French who was trying to pull him back.

"Rumple, calm-"

Rumplestiltskin pulled his arm out of her grip, and continued to glare at Regina, who Daniel was now stood in front of, protecting her from Rumplestiltskin's wrath.

"Don't you _dare _talk to her like that!" Daniel yelled daringly, his fists clenching as he tried to block his girlfriend from view.

Rumplestiltskin acted like he couldn't even see the boy, and continue to scream at the girl he guarded:

"I knew you would do this" he spat "I knewyou would never keep your word, you _evil soul!" _

"What the Hell are you talking about?!" Regina roared back, pushing past Daniel and screaming right into Rumplestiltskin's face.

Rumplestiltskin let out a horrific laugh, high and sarcastic and demented and it made the hairs on the back of everyone's neck stand on end.

"Oh I see, so your going to act _ignorant" _he said as Belle stopped trying to restrain her love and took her turn glaring furiously at Regina herself.

"You lied to us, Regina!" Belle cried, lurching forward and stabbing a finger in Regina's face "You told us you weren't going to send those...those photo's to my Papa. You _lied! _And now Papa's coming to take me away!" she screamed, her voice starting to crack as Rumplestiltskin's demented look of rage intensified, and he leaned a little closer to a completely outraged Regina.

"And now" Rumplestiltskin said in a terrifying whisper "You're going to _pay" _and he painfully grabbed her shoulders.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Regina shouted as Rumplestiltskin pulled her towards him. She fought against his pull, struggling against his iron-like grip.

"I never sent that package! I couldn't even _find _it! Now let me go!" she yelled, crying out as Rumplestiltskin's fingers dug painfully into her shoulders.

"Get the Hell off of her!" Daniel roared, grabbing Rumplestiltskin and trying to pull him off, but he was surprisingly strong. So Daniel hooked an arm around his neck in a choke hold, causing Rumplestiltskin to gasp, but not loosen his grip on the girl.

"No! Stop!" Belle suddenly came into the mix, screaming herself as she grabbed Rumplestiltskin's arms, staring beseechingly into his eyes.

"Rumple, stop! This won't fix anything!" she then turned to Daniel "Let him go! Please! Don't hurt him!" she begged.

Daniel didn't move, his eyes focused on the boy who still hadn't loosened his hold on the Regina-who was still fighting to free herself-and Belle could've sworn his choke hold tightened as he tried once again to pull the Dealer off. Rumplestiltskin grunted.

"Rumple!" Belle begged again, and he finally looked at her, she looked terrified.

"Please!" she whimpered.

After a few moments, Rumplestiltskin let go of Regina, who hissed at the pain in her shoulders. She rubbed them, her eyes a little pinched.

"Ahem" Rumplestiltskin said to Daniel, which was quite an accomplishment for him as he was still trapped in Daniels arm.

"If ...you don't...mind" he choked out, and Daniel released his neck. Rumplestiltskin rubbed his Adams Apple, gasping slightly.

Daniel moved back to stand beside Regina, he put a protective arm around her shoulders, but didn't look at her.

Fear started to flutter in Regina's stomach.

_Please, _please _don't tell me he believes them..._

For a few moments, Belle fussed over Rumplestiltskin, it taking a few "I'm Fine's" before she stopped looking so worried. They both then turned, and glared angrily at Regina.

Regina shook her head "French, Gold, you have my word I did _not _sent that letter!"

Belle shook her head too, her hand on Rumplestiltskin's arm. By the way she was sending daggers at her, it was clear she still didn't believe Regina.

And why would she?

Together, Belle and Rumplestiltskin left, the crowd that had been watching the entire fight scattering like cockroaches in sunlight.

As they walked out of the doorway, Rumplestiltskin turned and added one more thing:

"I won't forget this, Witch! Sooner or later, you'll get what you deserve"

Then, not waiting for an response, they left the building, starting to discuss ways to keep Belle at Fairytale College.

After they were gone, Regina rushed forward and closed the bedroom door, turning back to Daniel with dread.

She hated the look on his face, his blue eyes were turned to the ground, and his face was the same as when he found out she had been blackmailing Rumplestiltskin. She looked down at his hands-which had dropped from her shoulders the second the other couple had walked away-and saw that they were clenched into fists.

"Daniel?" she said, hesitantly moving a step towards him.

Daniel sighed hard "You told me you were going to get rid of that letter" he said, still not looking at her.

"And I was going to!" Regina told him urgently "After I talked to you, I came here to get rid of it, I swear, but it was gone!"

"Really?" Daniel said, in a toneless voice that clearly didn't believe her. Something broke inside Regina and she took another step towards him.

"Daniel-"

"The thing is, Regina, who else could've known where that letter was, except for you?" he said, looking up at her with hard eyes.

Regina shrugged helplessly "I...Daniel, please trust me, I _didn't do it!"_

But Daniel just shook his head disapprovingly at her, and picked up his bag.

"Goodbye, Regina" he said coldly, before moving past her and walking out of the room, the door slamming behind him.

Regina stood there, stunned in the painful silence of her bedroom, a huge, painful lump in her throat, tears spiking in her eyes.

"Daniel..." she whispered, as the tears began to fall.

_**O.k, I know this was kind of angsty, but I needed it as pretext for the next chapter.**_

_**Soooooooo what do you think? What's going to happen to Belle? Will Rumplestiltskin be able to keep her at Fairytale College? Will Snow White's friends find out about her pregnancy? And could this be the end of Stable Queen?**_

_**Read, Review, and stick around for the next chapter my lovelies! (Which might take a little longer to post, as I do have exams to revise for)**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time does not belong to me! All characters and references to the show belong to ABC and Channel 5.**_

Once Upon a Time: Schools Out! Chapter 9

"She _told _him?!" Ruby gasped, and she-along with Ella and Snow White-wore dark looks as Belle nodded.

"I-I just can't believe someone could do something so..._mean!" _Ella said, shaking her head.

"Just goes to show" James added into the crowd "What some people will do, just because they can" he looked back at Belle with pity in his eyes.

"So, do you know where he's gonna send you instead?"

"James!" Snow White chastised him, looking shocked as Rumplestiltskin-yes, Rumplestiltskin was there too-glared at him.

James stared at the tables surface, mumbling a "Sorry"

Belle sighed "It's actually why we came looking for you" she said. Ella, Snow White, and James had been in the library when Belle had come in, a reluctant Rumplestiltskin following her, asking for their help.

"We-I mean I-" she hastily added with a scorching look from her boyfriend "Thought you...might be able to think of a way to change Papas mind"

"What, you mean the sneakiest Dealer in College couldn't think of a way to appease your dad?" Ruby's light laugh was cut off when Rumplestiltskin turned his unblinking, terrifying eyes to her.

"You find this _funny, _Miss Lucas?" he asked softly, and she quickly shook her head.

"No! No, God no!" she squeaked, quickly pretending to read the book she held, upside-down.

"Just tell your father that you're old enough to make your own decisions now, Belle" Ella suggested kindly, smiling at her in reassurance "He can't control you forever"

Rumplestiltskin coughed out a laugh while Belle sighed a little hopelessly.

"Thank-you Ella, I'll try that. But I...don't think it'll work. I've tried explaining but he won't listen"

"Oh" Ella sighed, and the group lapsed into thoughtful silence, then Snow White raised her head:

"When is he coming to get you?" she asked, and Belle sighed.

"Tomorrow afternoon" she mumbled sadly, and Snow White reached over to pat her hand comfortingly.

"We'll be there when he comes, Belle we'll help you. Won't we guys?" she directed the question to the entire table, and everyone-including Rumplestiltskin-nodded.

Belle however, shook her head at them.

"No" she said with a tone of finality "If you all turn up there it...it'll look like we're ganging up on him, and then he'll never let me stay. It's best if I go alone"

From her side, Rumplestiltskin shifted so that his hand could reach around Belle's shoulders, and he gently touched the rose pendant on her neck.

"Not _completely _alone, Belle" he whispered into he ear. Belle smiled, removing his hand from her neck and blushing a little "After all, he has to meet me at some point" he added, grinning wickedly.

"Thank-you, Rumple" she said, and then a determined look came onto her face "He's not taking me anywhere. I'm happy here, and this is where I'm staying"

Ruby put down the book, and from beside her, touched Belle's wrist.

"And if all else fails, we can always hide you in the Gym" she said soothingly.

"Ruby!" Belle wailed as Rumplestiltskin glared and everyone else shook their heads sorrowfully.

"What?!" Ruby yelped, looking wildly around the table with her hands slightly raised "Seriously, _what?!_"

OUAT

Yesterday had been so different.

Yesterday, she had been with someone who-and she hardly dared to admit it to herself-she couldn't imagine being without.

Yesterday, she had felt herself, after such a long time, starting to _heal._

But that was gone now, and as she sat on the bench in a different part of the College grounds-a secluded area, away from the dorms-she knew she could never get it back.

Because this was who she was. Regina Mills, the rich girl, the mean girl, the President of the Student Body that was secretly hated by all.

She was meant to be alone. She knew that now, whatever she had with Daniel...she had just been fooling herself.

But that didn't mean she wouldn't give anything to have him back.

It was like...for the past two weeks, she had been living in a dream. A dream where she could have happiness, could have someone who cared for her, _truly _cared for her. A dream where her mother didn't exist.

Suddenly, she felt angry. How could Daniel not believe her? She had told him things she would never have told anyone! He was the _only _person in this place she hadcried in front of! And yet, almost the second that damned Rumplestiltskin and his pencil-pushing lap-dog had accused her, he had ran.

Regina sighed, putting her face in her hands to stop the tears from being visible.

But why wouldn't he think she was lying? She had blackmailed the Dealer, he knew about the letter, and she was the only one who could've posted it. All the evidence pointed to her.

Except it _hadn't _beenher. And there was no way that she could prove it. And now she'd lost him.

As Regina started to cry again, fighting to keep the sobs silent, she became aware of a presence beside her. Standing there as she cried, but not saying anything.

_Daniel..._

Regina looked up, her eyes hopeful as she looked into what she had thought to be the face she was praying to see.

But she was proved to be mistaken as she found herself staring into, not the handsome, somewhat rugged face of Daniel Hay, but the dark-toned, brown eyed features of Gene Glass.

OUAT

_A few moments earlier_

Gene Glass had never felt this..._enthusiastic!_

He had done it. Him! He had-single handedly-managed to put Rumplestiltskin Gold into a position of _panic!_

And this was just the first step, because once he lost Belle-and he would lose Belle, the news of their predicament had spread faster than wildfire-he would be brought down, _completely._

He felt a twinge of regret as he remembered the look on Belle French's face as she dropped off her column the day before-"Finding the Courage to Let Someone In"-but he overrode it. Collateral Damage, as Regina would say, just Collateral Damage...

Speaking of Regina, he had been walking around campus all day looking for her. He had tried her phone but she wasn't answering.

It didn't matter though, he was confident that once he found her and she realised that it was _him _who had brought Golds world crashing down on his head, she would shove aside that pathetic bus-boy, and finally realise that the one place she belonged was right by his side.

As Gene smiled at that little picture in his head, he heard a muffled but definite...sound, coming from his right. He turned around so he was facing the bench near the College cafeteria, and saw with a jolt that none other than Regina herself was sat there, her beautiful face in her hands.

Gene felt a burst of joy at the sight of her. This was it! The time to act was now!

He began walking towards her, his whole body filled with hope and the promise of all of his dreams coming true, when he finally came close enough to see that Regina Mills-

Was crying.

Gradually, as he moved closer to her, his happy feelings dissipated, and he began to feel confused. What could there possibly be to cry about? She had gotten what she wanted. Hadn't she?

As he stopped by her side, Regina suddenly stopped weeping, and looked up, her eyes filled with a hope that was quickly extinguished when she saw Gene.

"Oh" she said, pulling a tissue from her bag to wipe her eyes "H-hello, Gene"

"Regina, are you alright?" Gene asked with concern, and she let out a sad little laugh.

"Alright?" she repeated, laughing again, and then nodded "Yes, Gene I...I'm fine"

Gene nodded thoughtfully, knowing she was lying but not pressing it. He moved onto a different subject, something that he was sure would cheer her up.

"So...I heard that Belle Frenches father wants to pull her out of here" he tried "That's good, isn't it? You'll finally have Gold where you want him"

Regina laughed again, a sad, broken sound that had Gene a little concerned for her sanity (after all, the girl did have a history)

"I know" Regina had finally stopped laughing, but when she looked up at Gene, there were still tears in her eyes "And everyone thinks it was _me, _who sent Maurice the package telling him about his daughters affair"

Gene frowned, _But...surely this was what she wanted? For everyone-the Imp especially-to remember who ruled here. That she could do anything, destroy anyone..._

And yet here she was, looking like her whole world had ended.

In a daring move, sat himself next to her. She didn't appear to even notice him.

"But...Regina" he asked hesitantly "Isn't this what you wanted?"

"Oh God..." Regina mumbled, her head falling into her hands again, and Gene hesitantly, but gently started to rub comforting circles into her back, breaking all the Ground Rules in the process, but Regina appeared not to care.

"He didn't believe me" Regina mumbled, looking back up at him, a sadness in her eyes like Gene had never seen before. She sniffed.

"Daniel" Dammit! Gene cursed, Daniel _again! _"He didn't believe that I didn't send the photo's. And now he won't even talk to me"

_Nows your chance, Glass. _A small part of him ordered, _tell her that it was YOU! Tell her that you pulled it of and become the Hero!_

But he couldn't. As she sat there, trying valiantly not to break down into more tears, he couldn't force himself to utter the words of his confession until he had asked her one simple question:

"You love him, don't you?"

It had been there all the time. The way she smiled at him, the way she laughed with him, the way, now, that she was crying-Regina Mills, _crying-_over the boy, that she felt something for Daniel Hay that Gene had been trying desperately not to see.

Regina didn't answer his question, but from the look in her eyes-that had finally stopped weeping- what her answer would be had she consented to speech.

Yes.

Yes, she loved him.

Gene sighed and, moving the hand that was still on her back up to her shoulder, patted it lightly before standing up.

Before he left, he faced Regina, who was looking up at him with faint shock and confusion. He never usually left until _she _told him to. At least not _willingly._

"It'll be O.k, Regina" Gene told her, hoping the neutrality in his voice didn't betray the break in his heart.

Regina coughed disbelievingly, staring down at her hands in misery "Sure, whatever, Gene" she mumbled before lapsing into silence.

Then, ignoring the ache of his tearing heart, Gene Glass turned away from the girl he loved, and started to make his way to the Stable Eating Deli.

OUAT

It was 2:55 pm on a Saturday afternoon, most of the pupils at Fairytale College were chatting with their friends, catching up with missed assignments, or cramming for tests.

Belle French? _She _was standing just outside of the College gate with Rumplestiltskin, waiting the last five minuets for her Papa to get there.

Belle had called him again last night, to tell him she absolutely _refused _to leave. He hadn't listened to her, however, and told her once again that he was coming, and she was leaving that place. For good.

It hadn't helped when Rumplestiltskin had taken the phone from her and tried to talk to Mr French, He had barely gotten past "Mr French, this is Rumplestiltskin Gold" before he had been cut off by him screaming-in very colourful language-how he had clearly corrupted Belle, and he was going to take her somewhere his "Filthy little claws" couldn't sink into her.

Belle hadn't packed, she had been going to, but Rumplestiltskin had talked her out of it, still insisting that she was _his _love, and she wasn't going anywhere.

And as Belle saw Mr French's car pull up by the side of the gate, she glanced up at her boyfriend, who was staring stonily at the car, and prayed he was right.

OUAT

As soon as Mr French got out of the car, Belle could tell from his stormy eyes as he took in Rumplestiltskin, that this was not going to be easy.

"What the hell is _he _doing here?!" Mr French bellowed, and Belle almost flinched when he jabbed a finger at the boy.

"I've come to tell you that you can't take Belle" Rumplestiltskin told him, using the same tone he spoke with when someone was trying to get out of a deal.

Mr French however, didn't look ready to buckle.

"Oh really?" he sneered, his obvious dislike for the boy sliding into his voice.

Rumplestiltskin nodded "Yes. She belongs _here_, with her friends. With me"

"Papa. He's right!" Belle interjected as Mr French prepared to bite back. He looked at her.

"Belle, get your things. We're leaving" he said, as though she hadn't spoken a word.

"Papa! Listen to me!" Belle cried, desperately wanting him to just _listen _"I. Don't. Want to leave!"

Mr French shook his head "Belle-"

"Papa, you can't make me leave!" Belle overrode him, her fists starting to clench "You take me away from this place, and I will be _miserable!" _she moved her head sharply at that, chestnut curls flying in her face.

"Everything I love is here! The-the _people" _she moved closer to Rumplestiltskin, taking his hand "I love, are here! You take me away and...and I will be so unhappy!" she beseeched him, trying to get through to him.

Mr French, unfortunately, was still shaking his head, still looking darkly at Rumplestiltskin.

"Belle, enough of this ridiculousness" he moved a step towards her, a finger pointed at her, and Rumplestiltskin fought the urge to stand protectively in front of her.

"You're coming with me, Belle" he said, his voice final "Now come" and he moved towards the car.

Something inside Belle snapped then, some controlled part of her came loose. She pulled her hand from Rumplestiltskin's, feeling it curl into a fist again.

"_NO!" _she screamed, so loudly that birds roosting in nearby trees took off in flight. Mr French, who had his back to her, froze, and Rumplestiltskin stared at her in wide eyed shock and...a little admiration.

Slowly, Mr French turned to face Belle, who was breathing heavily.

"...No?" he repeated in shock, and Belle shook her head aggressively.

"No" she said, and took a step towards him:

"No, Papa, I will _not _go with you. I will _not _leave Fairytale College, I will _not _leave my friends" she breathed out heavily, and moved her hand behind her slightly.

"And I will _not _leave Rumplestiltskin. I _love him, _Papa!" she cried, and Mr French's face started to contort in fury.

"Belle-" he started, but she wouldn't let him get a word in.

"I said _no!" _she nearly started screaming again, but she forced herself to try and calm down.

She wasn't going to get anywhere with screams, so she had to try and reach him some other way.

She took a few more steps towards him, so that she was almost right in front of him, but not quite.

"I'm nineteen now, Papa" she said softly "I'm in College, I'm practically an adult, and that means that I'm in charge of _my _life"

Her father's face started to soften, and Belle almost dared to let the hope she felt fill her. But she couldn't, not yet. The battle still wasn't over.

"I know you want to protect me, Papa" she said, taking one of his hands with a small smile "But...I'm grown up now, you need to let me start making my own choices"

Mr French sighed, looking down at his daughters sweet face, so full of hope and pleading, the smile that she wore reminding him so much of her beautiful departed mother.

"Belle..." he said softly, tenderly placing a hand on her cheek. He smiled back at her, and nodded.

"O.k" he nodded"You can stay"

"Oh _thank-you, _Papa!" Belle cried joyously, throwing herself into her fathers arms and hugging him as tightly as she could.

"Thank-you so much!" she laughed happily, breaking away from him.

Mr French smiled at her again, before turning his head sharply to the watching Rumplestiltskin.

"You" he said menacingly, and dread filled Belle as Rumplestiltskin raised an eyebrow. The older man continued:

"If you _ever, _hurt my little girl-"

"Mr French" Rumplestiltskin interrupted moving a few steps forward so that he was stood directly behind Belle's right shoulder, he placed a hand flat on the small of her back:

"You have my word that I love your daughter, and I would neither let anything nor do anything to harm her" the conviction in his voice nearly made Belle shiver.

Stiffly, Mr French nodded, and stuck a hand out to the boy. Rumplestiltskin grasped it, and they briefly shook before, after saying one last heartfelt goodbye to Belle, Mr French got into his car, and drove away.

As his car disappeared into the distance, Belle let out the breath she had been holding, turning to Rumplestiltskin and embracing him, clinging as to him hard in her relief.

"Thank _God!" _she breathed, nearly wincing as he held her just as tight. If not more.

"I know" he whispered, rubbing her back "I know"

"God, Rum, for a moment I thought-" she started in a rush, but he gently shushed her.

"I know" he repeated softly, his lips almost touching her skin "But he didn't"

For while they stayed like that, until Belle asked him something:

"What about Regina?" she asked, anger biting her words when she said her name.

Anger stirred in Rumplestiltskin, remembering the way that bitch had looked when she lied to his face. That completely false look of innocence nearly had _him _convinced.

"I'll take care of it, Belle" he murmured, holding her a little tighter, crushing her to his body.

That girl had tried to hurt her, Regina had tried to hurt _Belle. _

And she was going to pay for it.

"Rest assured, I will not let this stand" he added.

Belle sighed. _Oh God, not this again..._

Rumplestiltskin pulled away from her, and Belle was shocked to see a little smirk on his face.

"What're you smirking about?" she asked him, and his smirk grew, a light shining behind his eyes.

"The way you handled your father" he said, nodding at area his car had previously been in.

"I haven't seen you that forceful since we met"

Belle gasped a little, a wide smile starting to come through as she realised what he was getting at.

"Rumplestiltskin Gold, do you _admire _me?" she went to laugh at the slightly embarrassed look on his face, but she was cut off when Rumplestiltskin kissed her ruby red lips.

After they broke apart, Belle put her mouth to his ear:

"Rumple?"

"Yes?"

"This conversation's not over"

Rumplestiltskin sighed warily, and she kissed him again, more passionately this time so he couldn't think of a good argument against her.

And that conversation, however temporarily, was brought to an end.

OUAT

"Excuse me, Sir, I'm looking for Daniel Hay, I was told that he works here" Gene asked the owner-and server-of Stable Eating

The man gestured with a mayonnaise-covered fork to the back room.

"He's in there" he told him, and Gene headed towards the back room as the owner carried on serving customers.

Taking a deep breath, Gene opened the back-room door and walked inside.

Daniel Hay was stood at the sink, viciously cleaning some curdled cheese off of a plate. When he heard the door open, he looked up. His face a mask of confusion when he saw Gene.

"Hello" he said oddly, dropping the plate and turning to face Gene "Can I help you?"

"Yes" Gene said, forcing down his feelings of pain and jealousy as he took a step towards Daniel.

"Yes, I think you can"

He held out a hand to the bus-boy, which he took in a handshake, still looking completely bewildered and slightly suspicious.

"Mr Hay, my name is Gene Glass, and I'm here to talk to you about a young lady named Regina Mills"

_**There we go! A happy ending for Rumbelle after all!**_

_**So, it looks like Gene is going to come clean, how do you think Daniel should react? Should I have him begging for Regina's forgiveness on bended knee? Or should he tell her that he believes her, and Stable Queen can pick up where it left off?**_

_**All will be revealed in the next chapter! Along with further development on Snow White's pregnancy, and the run-up to the Winter Dance.**_

_**It all rests on you though! Read, Review, and feel free to criticise, I do need to know where I go wrong sometimes.**_

_**Oh, and a huge thank-you to Grace5231973 who gave me the idea for how to keep Belle at Fairytale College.**_

_**I LOVE YOU GUYS! X**_


	10. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time does not belong to me! All characters and references to the show belong to ABC and Channel 5**_

You've had Snowing, you've seen Rumbelle, you've watched Stable Queen, and now on request I'm bringing another 'ship into the Schools Out! Mix.

Please welcome...**RubyxPeter!**

Once Upon a Time: School's Out! Chapter 10

"Peter! Stop it!" Ruby squealed, giggling helplessly.

They were sitting at a table away from the window in the Stable Eating Deli, it was a chilly Saturday afternoon, and Ruby was fighting to free herself as Peter began tickling her. She could almost feel his playful grin as his hands moved to her waist and made her squeals reach a new pitch.

"Say it" he said, unrelenting.

"No!" Ruby gasped, and his hands dug in a little harder, making Ruby giggle so hard she was silent.

"S-stop! People are staring!" she giggled again the same time Peter did, appearing completely oblivious to the Deli full of diners watching them as his hands rose to her neck.

"Say it, and I'll stop!" he told her as she tried-in vain-to control another explosion of laughter once again.

"O.k! O.k!" she cried "I'll say it! _I'll say it!"_

Grinning widely, Peter Lupus removed his hands from Ruby's neck. He waited.

Still gasping, Ruby turned her slitted eyes to him, unable to remove her own smile as she leaned against the back of her chair.

His eyes sparkling with his imminent victory, Peter continued to wait.

"But I'll sound like I'm in sixth grade!" Ruby complained, and he started to reach over again. Ruby squealed.

"No! O.k, I'll say it!" she cried, and he stared at her patiently as she fell silent.

Teasingly, Ruby let him wait a few moments more, and then finally gave in to his request.

"Alright...You're my boyfriend!" she surrendered, giggling again as he triumphantly laughed and punched the air.

"Yes! I knew it!" he crowed before gently touching Ruby's chin and using it to bring her face to his so he could kiss her. Ruby sighed a little, loving the tingly sensation she felt when Peters soft lips pressed on hers, the small rush of heat when she felt his hand on her leg...

When they broke apart, Ruby looked at him questioningly.

"I'm confused" she said to him "Didn't me accepting to go to the dance with you count as me admitting that you were my boyfriend?"

For a moment, Peter looked faintly surprised. Then, mischievously, he grinned again.

"Yeah..." he said, moving the hand that had been on her leg to her red sweater-clad arm "But...I just wanted to hear you _say_ it"

Ruby rolled her eyes, and leaned in for another kiss.

The door to the Deli burst open, and Ruby looked up to see Snow White running across the Deli floor to the bathroom.

"Wasn't that Snow White?" Peter asked, and Ruby nodded, a sad look on her face as she started after her friend.

She thought back to a few days ago, when she had confronted Snow White about what was going on with her. Snow White hadn't told her anything but, unable to miss the obvious signs, Ruby was pretty sure she already knew.

"Hey, I'm gonna go see if she's O.k" she told Peter, who nodded in understanding.

Ruby got up, and walked after Snow White.

OUAT

_SLAM!_

James jumped when Thomas' locker door slammed next to him, he turned with a confused-and kind of annoyed-look to his friend.

"Thomas, what the-"

"What's up with you, Jay?" Thomas cut across him, his eyes skewering James.

"What?" James shut his own locker door and went to leave the boys locker room-which was almost deserted except for them-but Thomas held out an arm to stop him.

"Practice just now" Thomas said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world "I don't think I've ever seen you that off your game! What's going on, James?"

James didn't say anything, and tried once again to leave. But Thomas pushed him back into the locker room. James glared at him, anger rising.

"Look, it's nothing to do with you, Thomas! I was...distracted!"

"By what?!" Thomas demanded "Come on, James I'm your best friend! Just tell me what's going on"

"Nothing!" James snapped.

"Then why were you _distracted?" _Thomas unrelentingly persisted "Come on, man, if it's effecting your game I _know _it's bad!"

James just shook his head at him.

"You don't know _anything"_ he said coldly, and once again he tried to move past Thomas, and once again he was stopped by his arm.

James nearly punched him in anger.

"For Gods sake, Thomas let me past!" he shouted.

"Is it Snow White?" Thomas suddenly asked, and James' words froze in his throat. He stopped trying to push past and walked back into the locker room, nodding.

From behind him, James heard his friend say:

"O.k...is something wrong with her? Is she still sick?"

James let out a hard exhale, wishing Thomas had just left him alone. He had enough to deal with.

Anyway, he'd sworn not to tell anyone about Snow White's pregnancy until they were both ready.

But now...with the stress of telling his mom building, and the fear of Mr Blanchard's reaction piling on him, keeping it all in was becoming almost impossible to bear.

So when Thomas asked him if Snow White was still sick, he turned around to face him:

"No" James told him "Thomas, she's not sick. She pregnant!"

OUAT

"Snow White?"

Ruby called her friends name into the empty bathroom. From one of the cubicles she could hear the sound of someone softly panting in exhaustion.

"Snow, it's Ruby. I know you're in here" Ruby called again "I saw you come in"

Ruby then heard the sound of a toilet flushing, and moments later Snow White walked stumbled out of a cubicle, beads of sweat on her forehead.

Ruby crossed her arms over her chest, eying the shifty Snow White.

"Get sick again, Snow?" she asked a little sharply, Snow White nodded, brushing a lock of hair back behind her ear.

"Yeah I, uh, I was just coming in the Deli for something to eat when this...this bug thing hit me again so-"

"Snow, stop" Ruby held up a hand to cut off her mumbled excuses. Snow White shut-up almost immediately, staring at the floor.

Ruby crossed her arms again, and kept her eyes on the girl standing in front of her.

"Look Snow, I'm not stupid" she said, her tone becoming more gentle as she spoke "I think you and I both know that this...this is a lot more than some stomach bug"

Snow White's hands were balled into fists, her face was incredibly white and it looked like she was shaking. Her green eyes were shining.

"Ruby..." she tried, her voice shaking violently.

Ruby came forward, her arms uncrossed and eyes full of concern. Even as she came in front of her, Snow White didn't look up.

"Snow?" Ruby said softly, and Snow White sniffed.

"Are you _pregnant?"_

Snow White finally looked up at her, tears were welling up in her eyes and when she looked into Ruby's kind, caring face they finally started to fall, and she nodded.

"Yes" she whispered.

"Oh, Snow..." Ruby sighed, biting her lip. She _knew _it. "Does James know?"

Snow White nodded again "Yes, and he...he's sworn to help me with everything"

Ruby nodded in approval. Damn right.

"Good. So, how far along are you?"

"A little over five weeks"

"Right"

They fell silent then, awkwardness hovering in the air, then Snow White shakily breathed in.

"I'm so scared, Ruby!" she whispered, a fearful look on her face "I don't know what to do, I told James we have to tell our parents soon but my father's going to kill James when he finds out, and his moms gonna kill _me_ and...and..."

Snow White could feel her voice starting to crack and stopped abruptly, prompting Ruby to step forward and wrap her arms around her.

"Snow" Ruby said, trying to keep her calm "It's going to be O.k, don't worry. You and James...you'll be fine, you've been through a lot worse than...this"

Snow White pulled away from her, and Ruby was happy to see that she was starting to look hopeful, if a little watery-eyed.

"You really think we'll be O.k?" she whispered.

_No. _Ruby thought _What I really think is that your dad is gonna hunt James down with rusted chainsaw._

She decided not to say this to Snow White however, and instead nodded again.

"_Yes. _You and James are the strongest couple I've ever met. You'll get through this, Snow"

Snow White sniffed again, and started to smile.

"Thanks Rubes" she said, and hugged her. Clinging to her back.

"Hey" Ruby said, patting her back as they broke apart "You know what might take your mind off of all this?"

Snow White laughed, thinking that it would take a _lot _to take her mind off of _this. _But she decided to humored the girl.

"What Ruby?"

Ruby then grinned a grin that practically reached her ears "Dress shopping! Me, Ella and Belle are going into town after classes on Monday to get dresses for the dance! Do you wanna come?"

Again, Snow White laughed, shaking her head.

"Ruby, I don't-"

"Oh come on!" Ruby said, her expression softening "It can't hurt, can it?"

Snow White looked at her, a smile coming onto her face against her will. Her eyes closed and she exhaled in submission.

"O.k, I'll come!"

Ruby made a happy little noise that made Snow White rolled her eyes. Then her grin faded into a look of sudden seriousness:

"But you can't tell anyone that I'm pregnant!" Snow White blurted desperately "Please, Ruby! Don't tell Peter or Ella or _anyone! _I...I promised Charming we wouldn't say anything" she admitted guiltily.

Ruby shook her head vigorously, clearly agreeing with her.

"No, no of course not!" she said quickly "I swear, Snow. I won't tell a soul!"

OUAT

"She told me after the Ogre game" James told Thomas "She's almost six weeks"

There was a stunned silence in which Thomas stared, dumbstruck, at James, hardly able to believe it.

Snow White? Pregnant?

James was gonna be a..._Dad?!_

"And is she gonna..." Thomas trailed off, and when James looked up at him he looked away awkwardly.

James sighed, nodding "Yeah, she's keeping it"

"Oh my God" Thomas gasped as James raised his palms to his forehead, his face pinched up with stress.

"So...what're you guys gonna do?" he asked.

"I don't know!" James shouted, removing his hands and throwing them out wildly, letting loose a stream of stress and fear that had been plaguing him for almost two weeks:

"I don't know what the hell we're gonna do! I mean...we're nineteen! We're nineteen and we're in College and...my mom is just gonna _freak out _when I tell her!" he let loose his breath in a hard exhale and put his hands over his face, still continuing to speak:

"She worked so hard to get me here and...now I've screwed it all up!"

He leaned against the lockers, his hands sliding down to reveal the now damp eyes in his agonised face.

Thomas came forward slowly, as though James might attack him if he came moved too fast, and lifted a hand to grip his shoulder.

"James" he said softly "Your mom will understand-"

"What if she doesn't?!" James snapped, shrugging of Thomas' hand and turning to face him "What if she never talks to me again because of this?!"

"That won't happen!" Thomas told him firmly, and James' eyes narrowed.

"How do you know that?" he asked scornfully,

Instead of snapping back at him, Thomas took on a look of sudden wisdom.

"Because she loves you"

At those words, James' scornful attitude disappeared, and he seemed to be momentarily speechless, Thomas took the opportunity to try and talk some sense into him:

"Look, you can't be concentrating on this right now, James. You need to be concentrating on Snow and the baby. She's probably just as scared as you are"

James nodded, looking faintly dazed as he spoke again:

"I know" he said, his voice nearly a whisper.

"I know"

OUAT

Snow White and Ruby walked out of the bathroom just in time to see a uniform-clad bus-boy sprinting out of the Deli. As he hurtled out of the building, Snow White caught a glimpse of his face.

"Isn't that the guy Regina Mills is seeing?" she asked Ruby, who nodded vaguely as they walked over to her and Peters table.

"Yeah. I heard they broke up though" she said as they sat down, still staring out of the door as she continued to talk to Snow White:

"Apparently he found out about what Regina did to Belle, and he walked out on her. _Right _after he asked her to the dance!"

"Oh my God!" Snow White gasped, and Ruby stared at her, frowning.

"You don't feel _bad _for her, do you?" she asked Snow White as though she was insane, and the black-haired girl shrugged helplessly.

"After what she did to Belle?!" it was Ruby's turn to gasp "Snow!"

"I..." Snow White tried, but she couldn't come up with a good reason why she felt bad for the girl who poisoned her.

"Come on, Snow!" Peter piped up incredulously from Ruby's side "You can't feel bad for her. The things that girl's done, she deserves all she gets!"

OUAT

"Regina!" Daniel called, frantically knocking on her dorm room door "Regina, please open the door! I need to talk to you! _Regina!"_

He had been out there for the past fifteen minuets, knocking and shouting and calling her phone, but she appeared to be ignoring him.

And he couldn't blame her.

_I can't believe I did this _Daniel cursed himself as he knocked _I can't believe I didn't trust her, didn't listen to her. What if she never forgives me?_

Increasing the strength of his blows, Daniel continued to shout at the door.

"_Regina!"_

"Daniel?"

At the sound of his name, he turned to his left and saw Regina herself stood next to him, carrying what looked like a new lap-top.

She had never been in her room in the first place. Daniel fought the urge to slap his own forehead.

Regina stared at him, stunned, her eyes roaming his across his face like she was trying to memorize it before he disappeared.

"What're you doing here?" she breathed, and Daniel cut right to the chase:

"Gene told me everything!" he said in a rush, and Regina continued to look confused.

"Gene Glass? What're you-"

"I know it wasn't you who sent those photo's to Belle French's dad!" he blurted out, and Regina's eyes widened.

"You-"

"I am so sorry, Regina!" he gushed "Please believe me! I am so, _so _sorry. I should've listened to you, I should've believed you, I..." he struggled, unable to find the right words that could express what a huge idiot he'd been.

As he spoke, Regina's face had started to harden. She hadn't said anything all this time, and just watched him with her huge brown eyes,

Daniel stared into those eyes, hoping to find the right words that could help him say the right thing.

"Regina, I was an idiot" her expression didn't change, and he started to feel more and more hopeless. But that didn't stop him.

"Can you...is there any way that you can forgive me?"

Regina didn't say anything, she just stared at him for a long time, and then moved past him to open her bedroom door and walk inside.

Before she closed it, she looked back at Daniel, her face a little softer than it had been a moment ago:

"We'll see"

The door closed, leaving Daniel more furious with himself than he had ever been in his life.

OUAT

"You don't have a tux?!"

From inside the library, Rumplestiltskin watched Belle look up from the book she was reading, looking horrified.

Moments ago, Belle had asked him what kind of tuxedo he would be wearing to the dance, and without thinking he had told her that he hadn't gotten one yet.

And now she was looking at him with the same expression Maleficent had worn when he'd told her that she was over $1000 in debt to him.

"Rumple! The dance is on _Friday!" _Belle almost wailed, and Rumplestiltskin shrugged.

"So?"

"It's Monday!"

"Belle, I'll get a tuxedo" he said calmly, turning back to his own book "Theres no need to rush"

_Oh my God, I'm in love with an idiot._

Instead of answering him in a way that would probably get her kicked out of the library, Belle made a show of looking at her watch and put her book in her bag.

"I've got to go" she told Rumplestiltskin tartly "I'm going dress shopping with Ruby and Ella, and I don't want to be late"

"Alright" Rumplestiltskin said, and she sharply walked out of the building.

As he watched her leave, Rumplestiltskin sighed.

_Why do I get the feeling that I'm going to regret this?_

OUAT

"What do you think of this one?"

"I don't know, I don't like the whole halter-neck thing"

"Does this shade of blue look good on me?"

"Red? Really Ruby?"  
"It's my favorite colour, Snow!"

Ruby, Snow White, Belle and Ella were in the changing rooms of the clothes shop in town. They had been trying on dresses for over an hour, and so far Snow White was in a sickly yellow, halter neck, floor length gown, Ruby was in a simple, knee length and strappy red dress, and Ella was in a beautiful light blue gown with a full skirt.

Belle, having already decided what she was going to wear-her gold floor length strapless like she'd promised-was passing her verdict.

"Snow" Belle said to Snow White delicately, staring at the hideous yellow dress in horror.

"No offence, but I think you can do better than...that"

"Isn't that what people say about your taste in men?" Ruby quipped as Snow White looked down at the yellow monstrosity.

"Oh, very funny" Belle sarcastically laughed at Ruby, who was grinning.

"Come on, Ruby" Ella chided her, fluffing out her skirts "Leave her alone"

Ruby rolled her eyes "It was a _joke, _Ella!" she then glanced at Snow White, and gasped. Ella and Belle turned to the clothes rail where Snow White was stood, and they too gasped when they saw the dress she was holding.

Like Ella's, it was floor-length and had a full skirt, it had short sleeves and was a beautiful baby pink.

"Oh my God, Snow White that dress is _beautiful!" _Ruby gasped.

"You have to try it on!" Ella added, hands over her heart at the dresses beauty.

"It'll look _amazing _on you, Snow!" Belle told her. Snow White smiled at them, and then walked into her changing room cubicle with the garment.

Ella and Ruby preened in front of the wall-length mirror, adjusting their dresses in certain area's until they felt right.

"So you're _really _not going to try anything on, Belle?" Ruby asked her, and when Belle shook her head, Ruby turned to her with her hands on her hips.

"Come on, Belle. You're lucky to even be going to this thing_, _and your not even going to get a new dress?"

Belle sighed and Ella stared at Ruby.

"Ruby!"

"I can't, Ruby" Belle said for the millionth time "I promised Rumplestiltskin I'd wear the _gold_ dress"

Ruby just shrugged "So? You _barely _got out of being pulled out of College, you're entitled to check out what you can't have!"

Belle smiled at her "_No, _Ruby"

Ruby made an experted sound "Oh well, there's always shoes"

Belle laughed lightly, leaning against the mirror that Ruby and Ella were standing in front of to admire their dresses.

"So..." Ella said to Belle, sounding a little awkward "Have you...uh...seen R-Rumplestiltskin's tux yet?"

Belle sighed again, suppressed annoyance at Rumplestiltskin rising in her.

It wasn't the fact that he hadn't got one yet-she could handle that, he would get one eventually-it was the fact that he clearly didn't _care _about getting one on time, and it would be so easy for him to forget about something so mundane...

"No" she said "I haven't. He hasn't boughtone yet"

Ruby, Ella, and Snow White (from inside her changing cubicle) gasped in shocked horror.

"Oh dear _God!" _Ruby cried "Is he _insane?!"_

"He knows the dance is on Friday, right?!" Snow White called as she walked out from behind the curtain.

"That's what I sai-" Belle started, but her words caught in her throat as Snow White walked out in the beautiful pink dress.

Ella and Ruby turned to look at her, and they too were rendered speechless by Snow White's appearance.

"Oh Snow..." Ella whispered.

Snow White had never looked so beautiful. The dress gracefully hugged her bodice to the waist, accenting her curves classily, the skirt falling beautifully to the floor so that it his her feet. As she stepped out of the cubicle, her friends stared at her as though hypnotised.

"Oh my..." Belle whispered.

"Snow..." Ruby gasped.

"You look just like a _princess"_ Ella said softly, looking like she was going to cry.

Snow White blushed, self consciously fondling the dresses skirt.

"So you think it looks good?" she asked nervously.

"Yes!" Ella, Belle and Ruby said together.

Half an hour later, the dresses were paid for and they began to look at shoes. While Snow White tried to talk Ella out of a pair of Glass Slippers she'd found-"Remember what happened last time?!"-Ruby took Belle to one side.

"So, when do you think Rumplestiltskin's going to get his tux?"

Belle shrugged "Whenever he feels like it, I suppose" she sighed, checking out a pair of white high heels.

"I just hope he remembers in time for the dance!"

Ruby made a show of casually looking at a pair of red flats, turning them over in her hands as she lightly reassured Belle.

"Oh, don't worry Belle, I'm sure he won't forget"

OUAT

It was 8:30 pm when Rumplestiltskin heard a knock on his bedroom door, he got up to answer it and saw none other than Ruby Lucas-clothed in her usual vibrant red-standing in the doorway.

"Miss Lucas" Rumplestiltskin said with a tone of surprise "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Can I come in?" Ruby asked, her voice shaking a little. Rumplestiltskin stepped aside.

"Of course" he said, and she walked into the dark room, an intense feeling of unease settling on her as every trinket Rumplestiltskin had ever collected drew her gaze, from the strange little puppets he kept on the wall to the chipped cup on his bedside table.

"What can I do for you, Ruby?" Rumplestiltskin asked, pulling her attention away from the collection of objects as he moved in front of her.

"Do you wish to make a purchase?" he asked, his eyes drilling into hers.

Ruby refused to flinch away "No" she responded "I'm here to talk to you about the dance"

Rumplestiltskin raised an eyebrow, and his lip twitched. Before he could come out with some sarcastic comment, Ruby told him why she had come.

"Belle told me that, you haven't got a tux yet" she said, and Rumplestiltskin blinked.

"Did you come down here just to tell me _that_?" he asked disbelievingly, and Ruby shook her head.

"No" she told him, and then jumped right into the deep end "I want to offer my help"

"Help?" he was starting to look suspicious "What kind of _help, _Miss Lucas?"

Ruby took a deep breath, and forced herself to look at Rumplestiltskin dead in the eyes. She let the breath loose, and spoke.

"The kind where you and I go into town, and I help you pick out a tuxedo for the dance"

Rumplestiltskin stared at her, and then started to laugh.

Although Ruby had been expecting this reaction she was surprised to hear him do something as human as laugh. It was kind of unsettling.

"Ruby, I can assure you that I am perfectly capable of picking out my own attire for the event" Rumplestiltskin said once the laughter subsided.

"I know" Ruby answered, more than a little shaken by the outburst "But...surely it wouldn't hurt for you to have an outsiders input"

"From you?" he started to smirk, and Ruby's confidence suddenly kicked up a notch.

"Yes. _Me" _she said "Because unless you want Belle to freak out completely, you need to get your hands on a good tux _before _Friday, and I'm the only one who can help you with that"

Rumplestiltskin stared at this girl, wondering what it would take to get her to leave.

As he looked into her eyes, he saw only one option.

He sighed, unable to believe he was doing this

"When?" he said wearily.

Ruby clapped her hands, grinning in delight.

"Tomorrow. Six o'clock. I'll meet you in town"

"Fine" was Rumplestiltskin's dry answer as he moved towards the bedroom door and opened it.

As she moved out of the room, she looked at him with a look of actual excitement.

"Trust me, Rumplestiltskin Gold, when I'm done with you you'll be _begging _me to be your personal shopping buddy!" and with that she scampered out of the room.

Rumplestiltskin shut the door, vowing that the next time there was a dance, he was just going to get the stupid tuxedo.

_**I'm sorry people but I couldn't resist! Rumplestiltskin is going on a shopping spree with Little Red Riding Hood! And you can read all about it when I upload the next chapter.**_

_**Sorry for the lack of Stable Queen in this, but I promise there will be some development in their situation in the next chapter.**_

_**Please read and review this chap, it was extraordinarily hard to write so I'm sorry if it's crap.**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time does not belong to me! All characters and references to the show belong to ABC and Channel 5. I also claim no ownership to song "Eye of the Tiger"**_

Once Upon a Time: Schools Out! Chapter 11

"_I should've listened to you!"_

"_I should've believed you!"_

"_I am so, _so _sorry!"_

As Regina walked out of her dorm room and walked down the short corridor, she attempted to get the images of Daniel's plea's out of her head. It was 9:30 am, and she was headed to Politics.

Where Daniel would be, Oh God...

"_Gene told me everything!"_

Gene Glass. As she walked down the stairs, Regina wondered what part _he _had to play in this.

She paused, momentarily thinking about it. She then shrugged, she'd confront him later.

"_Is there any way you can forgive me?"_

Forgive him? Forgive him for doubting her? For refusing to believe her? For breaking her-

NO! No, she wasn't even going to go there. She was Regina Mills, some people were under the impression she didn't _have _a heart.

But she did, and despite herself it was begging, _screaming _at the top of it's lungs for the handsome bus-boy.

But did she want to take that risk again? She had laughed with him, cried in front of him, made herself so _vulnerable_._.._

As Regina put her hand on the dormitory door handle, she sighed, trying to put those thoughts to the back of her mind. She had a class to get to, and then a meeting with the Student Council, where they would be discussing preparations and guide-lines for the...Winter Dance.

Oh, _wonderful_.

Regina opened the door, and nearly jumped when she saw who was stood in front of it, waiting for her.

She didn't allow herself to jump, however. Showing any sign of weakness or fear in front of _him _would be something she could never live down.

Stood in the door-frame, a malicious look on his face, was Rumplestiltskin.

OUAT

For several moments they stared at each-other, Regina still holding the door open.

"_REGINA!" _a blonde, spit-fiery girl called Mab yelled "Shut the damn door, it's _freezing!"_

Rumplestiltskin snickered as Regina slowly closed the door. She didn't take her eyes off him, determined not to let him think she was afraid.

Afraid? Of him? _Please._

"So" she said, her voice neutral "Have you finally come to punish me for a crime I didn't commit?"

Rumplestiltskin continued to stare at her.

"No" he calmly answered.

"Well then" Regina said, letting go of the door handle "If you don't mind, I have a class to get to"

"Daniel came to me last night" Rumplestiltskin told her and Regina froze, her eyes widening the smallest bit.

She forced herself to remain emotionless, however.

"Did he?" she said like it didn't really interest her, and Rumplestiltskin nodded.

"He told me that a certain, _Gene Glass, _was the one to send the letter to Belle's father. Not you"

A flash of anger entered his voice as he said Gene's name, and Regina saw his fingers twitch like they wanted to strangle someone.

"After Daniel visited me, I confronted your friend. Right before he ran away he confirmed it"

_Gene. _Regina thought darkly, anger starting to boil inside her. He_ did it?_

Keeping her rage momentarily at bay, Regina frowned in curiosity at the elusive boy in front of her. What did he have to gain from this?

"Why are you telling me this, Gold?" she snipped, and he gave her a look.

"I just though you'd appreciate it if you knew, that you were no longer under threat" he told her.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to Regina that made her grin, and actually laughed in shock.

"Oh my...Rumplestiltskin Gold are you trying to _apologise _to me?" her stony look finally cracked, and she openly stared at him in complete shock and hilarity as he glared at her.

"Why on _earth _would you think that?" he said "I'm simply telling you that you no longer have anything to fear" and he turned away.

As he walked away from her, Regina called after him:

"Looks like you're starting to change, Gold!" she said, and Rumplestiltskin turned to look back at her. She smirked.

"I just hope to God it's for the better"

Rumplestiltskin answered with his own cocky smirk.

"Everyone changes, Dear. Even me" he then looked her up and down, his smirk growing a little.

"And even you"

And before she could work out what he meant by that, he continued to walk until he was out of sight.

OUAT

"Snow!"

Snow White looked behind her to see Ella rushing down the Education corridor towards her, her long blonde ponytail swinging behind her head.

"Ella?" she said as the girl finally arrived in front of her, her breathing heavy "What's-"

"I know..." she stopped, panting as she held a stitch in her side.

"I know about..." she stopped again, and Snow White shifted her stance, getting a little impatient.

"You know about what, Ella?" she asked kindly, and Ella straightened up, her breathing a little more under control.

"I know about..._the baby" _she whispered the last two words in case anyone was listening.

At those last two words, Snow White felt a stab of shock and fear. How did she know?!

_...Ruby..._

As her so-called best-friends name floated through her head Snow White felt the spikes of betrayal and hurt in her stomach _how could she? She had _trusted _her! She was supposed to be her friend-_

"...just couldn't believe it when Thomas told me!" Snow White heard Ella gush "I mean you and and James having a-"

"Wait a minuet" Snow White stopped her, and Ella's babble immediately ceased.

"You're saying _Thomas, _told you I was...you know?" she briefly put a hand on her stomach.

Ella nodded "Yeah"

"Thomas? Not...Ruby?"

Ella shook her head, frowning

"No, it was Thomas. After James told him-"

"_JAMES TOLD HIM?!"_

OUAT

"_It's the, eye of the ti-ger, it's the thrill of the fight, ri-sing up! To the challenge of our-"_

"James, your phone's ringing" Gaston said as he pulled his football shirt out of his locker.

A shirtless James pulled his phone out of his pocket. The name **Snow White **lit up the screen.

_Weird, Snow never usually calls me during practice _he thought as he pressed the "Receive Call" button.

"Hey, Snow-"

"_Did you tell Thomas about the baby?!"_ she cut in, and James felt his throat drop into his stomach.

_Oh Crap..._

"_James? I know you told him, Ella told me because she knows too! James, answer me!" _came Snow White's voice through the phone, unfortunately James appeared to be frozen in time.

From the other side of the line, James heard Snow White sigh.

"_Look, I'm not mad I...I actually told someone too"_ she admitted, and James broke out of his frozen form (much to the relief of his team-mates)

"Wha-who did you tell?" he asked her quickly. For a moment there was silence where Snow White was reluctant to speak. Then, cringingly, she whispered a name.

"_Ruby"_

"_RUBY?!" _he yelped into the phone. Of all the people to tell, she had to tell the biggest gossip in the whole of Fairytale College?!

"You told _Ruby?!"  
_"_You told_ Thomas?!_" _she shot back in the same horrified tone. It was common knowledge that Thomas Herman couldn't keep a secret for more than ten seconds.

"I-fair enough" James submitted, and then chuckled as he moved into the empty locker room showers.

"I guess this means that the whole _not telling anyone _thing is pretty much over" he whispered, and Snow White laughed.

"_Yeah, I guess so"_

James smiled "Listen, I'll see you later, O.k?"

"_O.k, I love you"_

"I love you too"

James then put his phone back into his pocket, and moved back into the locker room where his team-mates were still getting changed.

"THOMAS!" he bellowed into the room "COULD I HAVE A WORD?!"

the boys fell silent at his scream, and stared at him like he had gone insane.

Thomas especially.

OUAT

Regina walked out of the empty lecture hall where the Student Council meeting had taken place, trying to concentrate on what those idiots had wanted to arrange for the dance (Rapunzel and Doc had spent the first _half hour _arguing about whether or not to serve Pigs in Blankets)

Unfortunately, the meaningless drabble of the Council just...wasn't working for her, and she found herself reluctantly focusing on the Politics lecture she had had to share with Daniel.

It had been awful, it was like it was their first class together only worse. Regina had-throughout the whole of Ms Nova's lecture-refused to talk to him, to look at him, or even acknowledge that Daniel Hay was sitting right next to her.

And worst of all? He hadn't appeared to care.

She'd expected him to try and speak to her, maybe nod to her as she sat next to him, _look at her _or something!

But...nothing. It had been like sitting next to a statue.

Feeling incredibly depressed, Regina walked to her locker in the school hallway and opened it, aiming to take out the books she required for Maths Major (another Cora Mills approved subject, so naturally Regina detested it)

She was distracted, however, when a small cardboard box and folded piece of paper fell from the storage compartment, and onto the hallway floor.

Frowning, Regina bent over and picked up the box, after examining it, she opened it to see what was inside.

She gasped, it was a ring. A beautiful golden ring flecked with silver, on a chain of the same colour.

Regina held the chain in her hand, staring at the ring in wonderment. She then clasped it in her and picked up the folded piece of paper that had fallen out with it.

When she opened the note, she saw there was something written inside:

_Regina,_

_I know I can never truly make up for not believing in you, But I hope that this small token shows that I will not give up trying._

_If there is any way that you can forgive me, then meet me at the dance at 8:30. _

_I will wait for you all night._

_Daniel x_

As Regina read the note, the beautiful ring grew hot in her hand, like it wanted to scorch a hole in her skin.

It wasn't like she hadn't ever been bought a gift like this before (She couldn't remember a Valentines Day where she hadn't gotten a _something _made of gold or silver)

But this...this was the first time a gift had ever made her feel so..._out of control._

He wanted to earn her forgiveness, and he was willing to do anything to get it.

Regina stared at the note again: _I will wait for you all night._

_S_he opened her hand and looked at the ring, seeing the way the light bounced off the silver flecks and made it shine

Regina then put the necklace into her pocket, pulled out her books from her locker, and walked out of the building.

OUAT

He was late!

Ruby paced in front of the formal-clothes shop in town, checking her watch as she did so:

06:09

Ruby groaned, looking down both ends of the street. Where the hell was he?!

Rumplestiltskin was almost ten minuets late for their honest-to-God _shopping trip, _and she was starting to get irritated. It wasn't like the College Dealer to be late!

A cold gust of wind blew through the air, and Ruby gasped, clutching at her thin jacket as the icy air went through her.

"For Gods Sakes!" she hissed "Where the _hell _is he that no-good son of a-"

"Ruby"

Ruby jumped at the sound of her name. She turned around to see Rumplestiltskin himself standing behind her, dressed in a thick brown coat and leaning against the door of the shop, watching Ruby stare at him with her jaw on the floor.

_How does he _do _that? _She wondered right before she blurted out:

"You're late!"

Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes "Ruby, I think we both know that you're lucky I even came at all"

Ruby stared at him incredulously, and then nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, you're probably right" she said, and then grinned wickedly. She nodded towards the shop door.

"Shall we?"

"If we must" Rumplestiltskin muttered darkly, and begrudgedly followed Ruby as she bounded into the shop.

OUAT

"Ruby's done _what?!" _

Belle stared at Ella in shock as she doubled over and laughed, which gained her quite a few strange looks from those who were in the dorm living room.

Ella finally regained control of herself, and repeated her statement with wide eyes and a grin on her face.

"Ruby, has taken _Rumplestiltskin, _shopping for tuxedo's!"

"Oh my dear sweet lord..." Belle gasped. _Ruby _was taking _Rumplestiltskin _shopping.

Man Alive she was brave.

Ella continued to grin "Yeah, Ruby told me after we finished Animal Studies" she shook her head at Rumplestiltskin's bravery, a small laugh escaping her lips.

"Oh my God!" Belle smiled, trying not to laugh at the mental image of him and Ruby on a _shopping spree._

"I can't believe-And he _agreed _to do it?" she asked.

"_Yes!" _Ella laughed. Then, without thinking, she added:

"God...and I thought Snow White getting pregnant was bad! But this is-" she stopped mid-sentence, her mirth fading into horror as she realised what she'd just said.

Belle stared at her with wide, sky blue eyes, Ruby and Rumplestiltskin's shopping spree was forgotten.

"...Ella, _what?"_

"What?" Ella repeated, trying as hard as she could to look innocent as she silently screamed at her own stupidity.

Belle wasn't fooled, and a dent formed in her forehead as she pointed a finger at the blonde.

"You just said that Snow White was _pregnant_" she hissed.

"No I didn't!" Ella squeaked.

"Yes you did!" Belle nearly shouted, her eyes growing even wider "You _just _said-"

"_Ssh!" _Ella hissed, hastily pressing a finger to her own lips, her eyes darting around to the spectators that were now watching them curiously.

"Ella" Belle whispered, and Ella looked back at the the brunette. Her eyes were narrowed.

"What's going on?"

Ella groaned helplessly. There was no way out.

Snow White was going to _kill _her!

But there was no way to get out of it so, in whisper, Ella filled Belle in, from start to finish, on the whole pregnancy scandal.

OUAT

"O.k, I think for your colouring" Ruby mused, staring at Rumplestiltskin's pale skin as other shoppers dodged around her "We should try something dark. Maybe black or a dark grey kind of colour?" she suggested, her eyes analysing Rumplestiltskin's lean frame.

Rumplestiltskin was barely paying attention to her, looking at the suit and tuxedo's that hung on the rails out of sheer _boredom. _Wondering when this torture was going to end.

"Rumplestiltskin? Are you listening to me?"

Ruby's voice brought him back to the present, and he looked back to see her staring at him, a dark eyebrow slightly raised. She knew he hadn't been paying attention.

"So sorry, Ruby" Rumplestiltskin lied "I'm afraid I was terribly distracted by some paint drying on that wall" he said, gesturing haphazardly to a random section of the shop.

Ruby glared at him and dragged him over to the tuxedo section, picking up a dark grey one with a white collar. She looked back at Rumplestiltskin, looking incredibly determined.

"Lets get started"

For over an hour they tried on tuxedo after tuxedo, dull ones and fancy ones, dark ones and bright ones, loose ones and tight ones.

At one point, they came across a dark red one that Ruby adored, but Rumplestiltskin refused point blank to even try on.

"Why?!" Ruby cried, touching it's soft, rich material "Look at the colour, the design! It would look fantastic on you!"

"Well, that may be the case!" Rumplestiltskin said, taking the tuxedo's pants from her "But I'm afraid I'm not too excited about _this" _he flipped the pants to reveal the back, where Ruby saw a button at the waistband.

Rumplestiltskin undid the button, and a large flap of cloth fell away from a rather important part of the design.

"Ah" Ruby nodded, biting her lip "Yes, well...Maybe we'll just put that back on the rail"

"Unbelievable" Rumplestiltskin muttered as he threw the pants back at the girl, reluctantly turning to the next tuxedo on offer.

The ritual started again. Rumplestiltskin tried on many more garments, and it seemed that no matter what Ruby said, he would find something wrong with the tux:

"No, it does _not _make you look like a pirate!"

"It has frills in the sleeves!"

"For the love of God, _what's _wrong with the colour?!"

"Other than the fact you could see me from space if I wore it?"

"What do you _mean _it's too feminine?! It's black!"

"It's covered in black _sequins_!"

"Oh, my God!" Ruby cried, taking the sequinned tuxedo from him and putting it back onto it's rail.

The girl was exhausted, they had been trying on tuxedo's for over two hours, and they _still _couldn't find one for him!

Ruby sighed, rubbing a hand over her tired forehead. The shop would be closing in an hour, maybe they should just call it a day and head-

Then, just as she was putting the sequinned tux back on it's rail, she saw it.

Ruby picked it up for a closer look, and grinned from ear to ear. _This was it!_

"Rumplestiltskin!" she called excitedly "Try this one on!" she rushed with the tux over to his changing cubicle and passed it through the curtain, careful not to see anything she shouldn't (and _really _didn't want to!)

"Hm" she heard him muse as he changed "Maybe..."

Moments later he walked through the curtain, and Ruby gasped in undeniable delight, her smile so wide it threatened to swallow her whole.

"Oh my God..." she gasped, and Rumplestiltskin raised his arms slightly, waiting for her verdict.

"Well?" he said impatiently. She nodded vigorously, looking like she was going to cry.

"Perfect!" she squealed, clapping her hands at the sight of him "My God, I'm a miracle worker!"

Rumplestiltskin's eyes rolled. You would think she'd just performed heart surgery from the way she was going on!

"Alright" he said, disappearing behind the curtain again "Lets get this paid for and _leave"_

Ruby gasped again, rushing over to the closed curtain. Could it be...?

"So...you like it?" she asked hopefully.

She heard him sniff "It'll do"

At his long-awaited response, Ruby fist-pumped the air in triumph.

"_Yes!"_

OUAT

Two hours later, Rumplestiltskin opened his bedroom door to see Belle standing there, a huge smile on her face.

"Where is it?" she asked before he could say anything, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Rumplestiltskin gave her a strange look.

"Where's what?" he asked, and Belle sighed.

"Ella told me that Ruby took you _tuxedo shopping!" _she smiled wider as a mildly panicked look came into his eyes.

_Dammit! Women and their big mouths..._

"Oh God, does _everyone _know?" he groaned, but Belle was barely paying attention.

"Did you get one? Can I see it?" she nearly begged, giving him the big blue eyes. Rumplestiltskin sighed and reluctantly let her in.

Once inside, Belle patiently stood in front of Rumplestiltskin's wardrobe as he moved over to the mahogany door and opened it, revealing the new tuxedo hanging on the inside of the door.

Belle gasped "Oh my..." she couldn't finish, she was too stunned.

"So" Rumplestiltskin asked her "What do you think?"

Belle couldn't speak, she just stared at the dark blue-almost black-tuxedo. She could tell from here that the material was rich and soft, the jacket was done with the same colour buttons and had a high collar, with two small tailcoats on the back.

"Belle?" Rumplestiltskin prompted her, and she turned her astounded eyes to him. He was waiting for her opinion, so she gave it.

"Rum...Oh my God, it's _beautiful!" _she gasped, and the smallest of smiles appeared on his face.

Belle walked forward, reaching out to touch the fabric, but Rumplestiltskin caught her hand before she could, a wicked grin on his face.

"Ah, ah, ah!" he coyly scolded her "Don't touch! I'm saving it for a special occasion"

Belle pouted and gently pulled her hand from his grasp. She looked at the tux again, imagining him wearing it on Friday as they moved across the dance floor, how hot he was going to look in that soft, rich material...

Belle turned back to Rumplestiltskin, a hand starting to slide up his arm. He raised an eyebrow at her, and a smile grew on his lips.

"Trying to persuade me, Sweetheart?" he breathed, and Belle moved closer to him, her arms wrapping around his neck. She gazed into his eyes.

"Just thinking" she whispered, their lips barely a breath apart "About how _handsome, _you're going to look in that tuxedo on Friday"

And she pulled him in for a passionate kiss...

_**I cannot tell you how much fun I had with this chapter...seriously I can't stop smiling XD**_

_**So anyway, that was chapter 11, please read and review and be on the lookout for chapter 12. Happy Holidays everybody!**_


	12. Chapter 12

_**Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time does not belong to me! All characters and references to the show belong to ABC and Channel 5, and I definitely don't own any of the songs stated in this fic (Believe me if I did, I would be too busy rolling around in my bathtub full of money to write FanFiction)**_

Once Upon a Time: School's Out! Chapter 12

"_Please, _Belle!" Ella begged Belle, her cell phone pressed to her ear "_Please _don't tell Snow I told you!"

"I can't just act like I don't know, Ella!" Belle said as she applied glittery eyeshadow to her lids. The dance was two hours away, and the girls were starting to get ready.

"Oh God..." Ella groaned, her hands rising to her face "Belle, listen. It was bad enough when Snow found out James had told _Thomas! _If she finds out I told you before she could she might _never _forgive me!"

Belle sighed, briefly checking her make-up in the mirror. Once she was done, she spoke into the phone, breathing out heavily through her nose.

"Alright" she submitted "I won't say anything"

From inside her own bedroom, Ella was just about ready to cry with relief (but she didn't, as she'd just got her mascara perfect)

"_Thank-you, _Belle!" she heard Ella cry, she smiled and rolled her eyes.

"But if she asks me if I know, I'm not going to lie!"

At those words, Ella's overwhelming feeling of relief disappeared, and she clutched the phone a little tighter. She swallowed.

"F-fair enough" she muttered, and snapped off the phone.

After Ella rang off Belle turned back to getting ready, but just as she lifted the mascara wand to her eyes, her phone buzzed again.

"Hey, Belle!" Snow White greeted her as she went to stand in front of her bedroom mirror, pulling out her make-up bag.

"Hey, Snow" Belle responded into the phone as she turned back to her own work.

"So, are you looking forward to the dance?" Snow White asked excitedly.

"Like you wouldn't believe!" Belle said, her own excited grin on her face.

"I can't wait for you and the others to see Rumple in his tux, you just...you're not gonna believe it!"

"Sexy is he, Belle?" Snow White smirked, causing Belle and uncharacteristically giggle.

Snow White pulled a red lipstick out of her small pink bag. As she began to apply it to her already blood-red lips she murmured:

"I wonder how the guys are getting on?"

OUAT

"Hey, Pinocchio! Have you sen my tie?!"

James desperately asked Pinocchio Booth-the dark, curly haired freshman-who raised an eyebrow at him as he searched under the dorm living room sofa for his missing tie.

"James, how am I supposed to know?" Pinocchio asked lazily as he put on his suit jacket. As far as everyone knew, Pinocchio didn't have a date, but he sure as hell wasn't going to let _that _stop him!

"Try in your room" he suggested, and James actually growled as he headed up the stairs.

On his way, he came across Thomas, already dressed in a plain-but expensive-black tux with a bow tie. Once he saw him, James halted momentarily. Ever since he had given him what was quite possibly the most _embarrassing _grilling in front of the entire team-a yelling, almost-reduced-the-boy-to-tears kind of grilling about the definition of the word "Secret"-their relationship had been a little rocky.

Passing over the awkward silence, James nodded at Thomas.

"Hi" he said awkwardly "You haven't seen a black tie anywhere have you?"

"You mean this?" Thomas asked, and he lifted a hand to reveal James' missing tie inside his palm. James felt the flare of relief go through him as he reached out to take it.

Then one of the bedroom doors opened, and James and Thomas were hit with full force what must have been the strongest, sharpest, eye watering stench that had ever met their nostrils.

"Oh my Go-" James coughed, his eyes streaming as he pressed his jacket sleeve to his nose.

"Jesus Christ, what the hell is that _stink?!" _Thomas wheezed, pressing a hand to his mouth as he coughed.

Down the trail of coughing, complaining boys, Grumpy stood in his dress pants and a vest, watching anxiously as every boy in the hall coughed, complained, and ran for the hills.

"...So easy on the cologne?"

OUAT

She wasn't going.

As girls ran frantically around her, throwing on dresses and screaming for their friends to get out of the shower, Regina sat in her chair in the dorm living room reading a Politics book, adamant that she _was not going _to the dance.

Daniel had tried to win her round with a piece of jewelery and a heartfelt note, but it didn't work. Regina Mills could not be _bought!_

So she sat there, swotting up and trying to ignore the part of her that was pleading for her to put on a dress, slap on some make-up, and rush to Daniels side.

"Good God, Candy, I _don't_ know where your necklace is!" Regina heard someone-Abigail Midas-yell at Candice Ginger (Known by her friends as Candy) as she came into the living room.

Then, for some reason, she decided to pick a seat to sit in that was right next to Regina.

"Hey" Abigail said, and Regina looked up, and eyebrow arched as she took in the girls beautiful dark red dress. Her hair was piled gracefully atop her head and the light Kohl around her blue eyes made them look huge.

"Hello" Regina responded, her glance lingering at her briefly before turning back to her book, trying to ignore Abigail as she sighed sorrowfully.

"So, you're _really _not gonna go?" Abigail said, and Regina gritted her teeth. She turned a page in the book.

"No, I am not" she told her. Another sigh from the blonde.

"...I heard that Daniel bought you a pretty nice necklace" she said, and Regina sharply turned to her. Abigail's eyes shifted guiltily.

"I...saw you looking at it down here last night I...I assumed it was from him"

Regina continued to look at her, containing her rage at being caught so _vulnerable_ as she nodded curtly.

"Yes" she confirmed "It was from Daniel, trying to buy me back with some silly trinket"

"Regina!" Abigail gasped. Regina sniffed.

"What?" Regina snapped "What does he expect, Abigail? That I'll just come running back to him every time he buys me a gift?!"

"I don't think he was trying to buy you back, Regina!" Abigail said, and Regina rolled her eyes at her.

But she still didn't shut-up:

"Maybe he was just trying to show you how much you _mean _to him! He's on a _bus-boy's _salary Regina, and that necklace can't have been cheap"

Regina didn't say anything, although she was now gripping the book so tightly in her hands that it was in danger of breaking in half.

"I've seen the way he looks at you, Regina" Abigail said gently as she stood up "And I've seen the way you look at him" she added, moving towards the exit. As she was about to leave, she said on more sentence to a frozen Regina:

"Go to the dance, Regina. It's what you want"

After Abigail walked out, Regina sat in her frozen state for a few minuets, absorbing what she had said.

Slowly, she reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out Daniels ring, the golden ring that had never been out of her possession since the day she got it.

Regina held the little circle in the palm of her hand and stared at it, gazing at the expensive metal like it could tell her what to do.

No, Regina wasn't going to the dance.

She _wasn't._

It was absolutely out of the question.

OUAT

"_Womaniser, woman-womaniser you're a womaniser, oh! Womaniser oh! You're a womaniser baby_

"_You, you, you are, you, you, you are_

"_Womaniser, womaniser, womaniser, womaniser"_

It was 08:10 pm at Fairytale College, the night of the Winter Dance was upon them, and the dance itself had just started, Aurora Light was stood on the makeshift stage in the newly decorated Gym, singing at the top of her lungs to a small (for the time being) crowd of students, her eyes constantly darting down flirtatiously to her boyfriend- Footballer Philip Night-who was standing in the front row.

Feeling both nervous and excited, Snow White-dressed in her beautiful pink gown-walked into the gym with her arm wrapped loosely around James' dark grey tuxedo. His hair was a little ruffled, and along with the sharp tux he was wearing a black tie.

And, in Snow White's opinion, he was the hottest guy here.

As he looked down at Snow White, taking in her breathtaking appearance, James found himself thinking along the same lines. Along with the pink dress Snow White was wearing a pair of silk, shoulder-length white gloves, her black hair hung in silky waves about her shoulders, and a small snowflake pendant hung on her neck.

"Snow! James!" came a loud, enthusiastic squeal, and the couple looked in front of them to see Ruby in her knee length, bright red dress bounding towards them with Peter-dressed in a dark brown tuxedo-right behind her.

"Oh thank _God _you arrived! I thought I was going to _die _of boredom!" Ruby said in earnest.

Her appearance tonight was amazing, she had painted her lips with crimson, and she had outlined her eyes thickly with black eye-liner, making her brown eyes look even darker and more prominent.

In other words, she looked Hot.

"What do you mean?" Snow White asked loudly over Aurora's singing "Isn't anyone else here yet?"

Ruby shook her head, her eyes wandering over Snow Whites shoulder. Suddenly she appeared to see something behind Snow White and it caused a huge grin to fly onto her face.

"Ella!" she called, and Snow White and James turned to see Ella Boyd looking unbelievably beautiful in her blue gown, elbow length gloves, and pinned up blonde hair.

Before Ruby's call, she had been fussing with Thomas' bow tie as he tried valiantly to paw her off. At the sound of her name she turned, smiling happily and waving.

"Hey, Ella!" Snow White greeted her as she came up to them, Thomas following behind and nodding to the other boys.

"Oh my God, El, you look fantastic!" Ruby gushed as Peter started up his own conversation with Thomas and James.

Ella blushed, smiling in embarrassment "Thanks! But oh, Ruby, you look amazing too!"

Ruby shrugged, grinning "I know"

All three of them laughed, while Snow White shook her head at the girl in red shamefully.

"Well at least you're not vain, Rubes!" she laughed, and then glanced at the doorway.

"Oh my God!" she gasped, pointing at the Gym entrance "Look at _Belle!"_

Ruby, Ella, Peter, Thomas and James all looked in the direction she was pointing, and when they saw Belle-who had just walked in wearing the promised golden dress-they gasped.

The dress itself was a thing of beauty, it gracefully hung off her shoulders and hugged her torso and waist, the rich, shimmering silk that elegantly covered her legs making her look graceful and lady-like.

On her upper body, she had temporarily traded in the rose necklace for a simple gold pendant, and her face had been made up so that the skin was flawless and creamy, with a hint of rouge in her cheeks, and the glitter on her eyelids made her blue orbs shine that much more. Like Snow White, her lips had been painted a ruby red.

Stood next to her was Rumplestiltskin, looking very sharp and formal in his dark blue tux and navy silk tie.

"Wow" Ella gasped again, staring at the couple with wide eyes.

"He _does _look sexy" Snow White murmured a little too loudly. She violently blushed as everyone turned to her with amused looks on their faces.

"I'm sorry, _what _was that, Snow?" Ruby laughed, and Snow White blushed deeper.

"'Nothing" she muttered, unable to look James in the eye.

"Hey everyone!" Belle said chipperly as she and (an unwilling) Rumplestiltskin joined the group.

"Wow, you all look so amazing!" she said sincerely, taking in their appearances.

"Thanks, Belle. You look stunning!" Ruby commented, and Belle smiled. Ruby then looked at Rumplestiltskin, and he felt a sense of incoming dread.

"And Rumplestiltskin, you look _so _handsome!" she squealed "Whoever picked that tux out for you definitely knew what they were doing" she added, looking incredibly smug.

"Yes. Although it did take trying on over 25 of them to find the right one" Rumplestiltskin said, and Ruby's smug smile vanished as everyone hid smirks.

Suddenly, Aurora started belting out the lyrics to "California Girls" and Ruby's eyes widened, she gasped happily.

"Oh my God, I _love this song!" _she cried, pulling Peter towards the dance floor.

"Come on!" she called back to the others.

Thomas turned to Ella, gesturing towards the dance floor in a "Shall we?" motion. She grinned, and let him lead her towards Ruby and Peter, Snow White and James following suit.

Belle looked up at Rumplestiltskin, a look that was a mix of questioning and pleading on her face. His eyes widened in horror.

"No, Belle!" he said, and she pouted "Absolutely not!"

"_Please?" _she nearly begged, grabbing his hand "It's a dance! It's what we're _supposed to do!_"

"I don't dance" Rumplestiltskin protested, and Belle's eyes narrowed.

"Well, you do now" she said simply, and, with surprising strength, she pulled him towards the dance floor.

OUAT

"_Yeah the night is alive, you can feel the heartbeat._

"_Lets just go,with the flow, we've been workin' all week,_

"_Tomorrow doesn't matter when you're movin' your feet,_

"_It's all, about, tonight!"_

Ella broke away from Thomas as Aurora belted into a new songs chorus, yelling above the music that she needed a drink. She walked over to the self service table-which was laden with food and drink-she saw Snow White and Belle talking as Snow White piled her plate with food.

"Hungry, Snow?" Ella shouted as she walked up to them, grinning. Snow White gave her a sarcastic look and continued to pile up her plate.

"Shut-up, I'm starving" she said, looking around the table "Are there any pickles?"

"Pickles?" Belle repeated, staring at Snow White. She knew for a fact that she _hated _pickles "Since when do you-"

She stopped when Ella shot a wide-eyed warning glance at her.

"Never mind" Belle murmured "Is there any punch?" she then shut her mouth and picked up a cup.

Unfortunately for her, Snow White noticed the sudden change in topic. Forgetting (temporarily) about food, she rose up and eyed Belle suspiciously as the beauty focused all of her attention on filling punch into a plastic cup.

Turning away from Belle, Snow White glanced at Ella next. The blonde was gripping her own cup of drink rather tightly, and her eyes kept darting nervously from Snow White to Belle.

Snow White's eyes narrowed and she stood up a little straighter, her eyes going back to the other girl. She opened her mouth to ask what was up, but then Belle did something that made Snow White's words jam in her throat.

She glanced down at Snow Whites stomach.

Snow White's eyes widened in realisation, her stomach clenched in horror, and her blood boiled with rage.

She furiously glared at Ella, who physically winced when she received Snow White's livid stare.

"Snow-"

"_You TOLD her?!" _Snow White shrieked, pointing at Belle.

"I..Snow, I..." Ella stuttered looking extremely scared, and Belle chose that moment to jump to her defence.

"Snow, it was an accident!" she told her quickly "We were talking about something and it just slipped out!"

"Just slipped out?!" Snow White repeated incredulously, her face contorted in rage. She turned back to Ella:

"Ella!" she wailed "I can't believe you did this! I thought I could trust you!"

"Snow, I _swear, _Belle was the only person I told!" Ella finally found her voice, her face frantic "And that was an accident! There is _no way _I would _ever _betray you. Intentionally" she added hastily.

Snow White continued to glare at Ella, her fists clenched, and the other girls held their breath in anticipation.

It was at that moment that Ruby joined the group, pulling a plate and a couple of cupcakes towards her. She looked up to see a livid Snow White, a scared Ella, and a wide-eyed Belle, standing there like they were on pause. She raised an eyebrow.

"Oh Christ, what's happened now?"

Snow White sharply turned to her "Ella told Belle about...my situation" she gestured to her stomach, and Ella cringed.

"Wow!" Ruby cried "I didn't even know she _knew! _And people call _me _a gossip!" she laughed, and Belle groaned lightly as she leaned towards Snow White.

"Snow" she said calmly "I'm your friend, aren't I? Do you really think I'm going to tell anyone about this?"

Snow White sighed "No but-"

"And it's not like Ella broadcast the whole thing across the whole College is it? I mean, no-one else knows"

"I know that too, but-"

"And wouldn't you have told me anyway?" Belle cut across her once again, and Snow White gave up trying to get a word in.

"I mean, we've been friends since last year. Don't you trust me?"

Snow White sighed, shrugging "I...yes!" she rolled her eyes, picking at a sausage roll "I guess so"

Shaking her head, she looked over at Ella, who looked more nervous than ever.

Snow White gave her a small smile "Ella, we're good"

Ella's sudden smile was so bright it almost blinded them, and Belle and Ruby exhaled in relief. The last thing they wanted was Ella getting her ass kicked by a pregnant girl.

For a while they stayed at the food table, chatting and laughing as music played and people danced.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, Ruby saw something.

"Hey" she said, gesturing to the doorway of the Gym "Isn't that that Daniel Hay guy?"

Ella, Snow White and Belle stopped the conversation they were having, and curiously looked over to where Ruby was pointing.

She was right. Stood over at the doorway, wearing a dark, second-hand tuxedo was Daniel Hay. He was stood next to the door and kept checking his watch, his eyebrows knitting together with each new glance.

"He must be waiting for Regina" Snow White muttered. The girls nodded in distracted agreement.

As they stared, a new, slow song came from the stage, and James appeared at the table with his hand extended towards Snow White.

"Snow?" he asked.

As she took his hand, Snow White grinned at her friends:

"See you guys later" she said, and walked with James to the dance floor.

Steadily, the rest of them went to find their dates for the next dance, and pretty soon every student in the Gym was dancing.

Everyone, except Daniel Hay.

OUAT

Daniel checked his watch again.

08:26

He glanced out of the door again: No sign of her.

As he leaned against the doorway, watching as couples slow-danced with their dates, Daniel felt like the biggest idiot alive.

What was he doing? After everything that had happened between them did he honestly expect her to _turn up?_

Another glance at the watch:

08:29

Daniel let out a small groan, looking out of the door again. Still no sign of her.

He sighed. Truthfully, no, he hadn't expected her to show up. Despite him hoping, promising to wait all night for her, he knew he'd screwed up royally and he expected her to make him pay.

He'd heard the rumours. She was Regina Mills, they very definitionof "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned"

She was probably planning his demise right now, and who could blame her?

Daniel turned his back on the door, looking at the dancers once again and watching as James elegantly spun Snow White, as Ruby slowly moved her arms around Peters neck, as Ella gently rested her head on Thomas' shoulder, and as Belle gazed adoringly into Rumplestiltskin's eyes, and he felt a pang of jealousy and regret.

Another glance at the watch:

08:32

She still wasn't here.

Just like he'd expected.

_Well_, Daniel thought, _you said you'd wait all night for her, and that's exactly what you're going to-_

A gentle hand on his shoulder interrupted his train of thought, and Daniel swiftly turned around, _could it be...?_

He turned to see who was behind him, and when he saw who it was he felt a surge of excitement and joy go through him.

It was her, Regina, wearing an amazing, strapless and glittery black dress, her dark hair was loose and fell down her back in a long straight line, her eyes were shadowed with dark grey, and her lips were a dark red.

And hanging around her neck on a silver chain, was the gold and silver ring he'd given her.

"Sorry I'm late" she said, keeping her eyes on Daniels face, wanting him to say something. Anything.

For a few moments, Daniel looked stunned, then he held his hand out to her, the fingers slightly curled like he wanted her to take it.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked

Regina didn't answer, she just took his hand and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor.

OUAT

From the side of the Gym, Gene watched with a crushing pain in his chest as Regina rested her hands on Daniels shoulders and began to dance. He raised a cup to his lips, trying to drown the lump in his throat.

_At least she's finally happy now..._the thought floated through his head but did nothing _at all _to cheer him up.

Gene sighed. If it hadn't been for that damn article he had to write about the dance he wouldn't have even come at all. For one thing, he knew that Rumplestiltskin was baying for his blood, and for another: Regina.

Gene forced himself to look away from the girl-who looked a total knock-out in her dress-and cast his eyes down to the ground.

_Screw the story _he thought vehemently _I'm getting out of here._

After all, it's not like anyone would miss him.

But then, just as he was about to leave, a pretty blonde girl in a sparkly purple dress joined him at the wall. She leaned against the brickwork next to him and also seemed to be watching Regina.

Through the gloom, Gene peered at the girl, she looked strangely familiar...

Then, with a surprised jerk, he figured out who it was.

The previously expelled student, Maleficent Pyro.

The one Regina had gotten expelled.

"Maleficent?" Gene asked disbelievingly. Maleficent didn't turn her glare away from Regina.

"Maleficent _Pyro?" _Gene tried again, and she sighed in irritation and finally looked at him.

"What?" she said lazily.

"I...weren't you expelled?" he asked, and Maleficent's expression turned dark.

"Yes" she said shortly, jerking her head towards Regina "Because of _her" _

She was silent for a few minuets, and Gene wondered if he should leave (after all, it was _him _who planted the pot) however, the curiosity that installed itself in him when he became a reporter seemed to overtake him and he stayed where he was.

"So...how come you're back?" he asked, and Maleficent shrugged nonchalantly.

"Daddy managed to pull some strings, got me off the whole drug charge" she looked Gene up and down, her lip curling a little.

"I saw you staring at Regina, you know. Still hopelessly infatuated?" she chuckled vindictively, and Gene's gaze hardened.

"No" he said shortly " Actually, she broke my heart"

Maleficent turned her full gaze to him, both eyebrows slightly higher on her forehead. She grinned, and Gene started to feel like he should run.

"You wanna dance?" she asked suddenly, holding out a hand.

At first, Gene simply stared at the raised hand as though it would bite him, but after several seconds he took it, and both he and Maleficent smiled as he spun her towards the dance floor.

OUAT

"_Good times for a change,_

"_See, the life I've had"_

Aurora moved on to another slow song, and as Regina and Daniel danced they let the music swirl around their heads, looking at each other as they waited for one of them to speak.

"_Can make a good man, turn bad"_

"So" Daniel finally said, his hands on Regina's waist as they moved on the dance floor "What made you change your mind?" he asked.

Regina was silent for a minuet, her eyes flickering as she thought. She then shrugged.

"I didn't change my mind" she said, and she let out a soft laugh as he looked confused. Her arms moved from his shoulders and circled his neck.

"A...well I wouldn't say a _friend _but an...acquaintance_, _made me see that I wanted to come. All along"

Daniel's lips lifted in a smile then. He one of her hands from his shoulders and used it to spin her outwards as the songs chorus washed over them:

"_So please, please, please, _

"_let me, let me, let me,_

"_Let me, get what I want,_

"_This time"_

When Daniel pulled her back in, Regina pressed into his body, one hand going to his shoulder as she moved her chin into his neck. His warm hand circled his waist as he moved his lips to her ear.

"I didn't think you'd come" he whispered, and her other hand tightened in his. Daniel sighed softly.

"I...I didn't think you'd want to forgive me"

Regina pulled away, her eyes widened as they seemed to search his features. She moved the hand that was on his shoulder and cupped his cheek. Her lips lifted in a sad, but genuine smile as she lightly shook her head.

"You forgave me" she said simply.

"_Haven't had a dream in a long time,_

"_See, the life I've had"_

Daniel looked into Regina's face, staring into her huge, dark brown eyes, briefly imagining that he could see into her very soul.

Her very heart.

"I love you, Regina" he whispered.

When he said those words-those four, simple, short words-Regina felt them as though they were charging through her soul, breaking through the barriers, shattering every bad feeling it came across, every molecule of anger, every wisp of jealousy, every ounce of hate so that she was left with only one thing.

Happiness.

"I...Daniel, I love you too" she said, tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes, and as the last chorus of the song travelled around the students of Fairytale College, she pulled in the boy she loved for a long, lingering, _loving _kiss:

"_So for once in my life,_

"_Let me, get what I want,_

"_Lord knows, it would be the first time"_

OUAT

"Are you thinking about tomorrow?"

Snow White looked up at James, frowning. They were still on the dance floor, and he was looking down at her as he waited for an answer.

Snow White shrugged "Yeah" she nodded, biting her lip "Did you call your mom?"

James nodded too, swallowing nervously.

"Yeah, I did. Did you call your father?"

Snow White nodded again, her palms sweating a little as she tried to remain optimistic about her father's reaction. To no avail. It was almost a certain thing that the very protective Leopold Blanchard would be hunting _one _of them down by the end of the day.

"Yes. Ms Gorhm is gonna let us use her lecture hall for some privacy. But she doesn't know why"

_Not that she didn't try he damnedest to find out. _Snow White inwardly grumbled.

"Good" James nodded again. Despite him trying to sound neutral his face had paled.

"Good..."

Snow White looked up at him in concern. Poor James had been putting up with so much recently, and although he'd been so brave about everything, Snow White knew he's been hiding how scared he truly was.

She opened her mouth to say something comforting, but at that moment Aurora Light was replaced by Edward Andylasia, who immediately started belting out a song that could never be mistaken for slow:

"_Let me talk to em, let me talk to em,_

"_C'mon!_

"_Shorty apple bottom jeans (jeans)_

"_Boots with the fur! (the fur!)"_

"Oh my _God!" _Snow White heard Ruby shout from across the floor. She (and several other people) turned to watch her as she stared at the stage with a look of complete joy.

"_The whole club was looking at her,_

"_She hit the floor (she hit the floor)_

"_Next thing you know,_

"_Shorty got low, low, low, low, low, low, low!"_

"This is _such _a great song!_" _she cried happily as she and Peter immediately started to throw down some amazing dance moves.

Snow White and James laughed and rooted for them with the rest of the crowd, Ruby and Peters daring dancing distracting them from the scary situation that was to come.

OUAT

At 11:00 pm the dance ended, and Daniel walked Regina back to her dorm room like her usually did at night.

As she moved to step into her doorway, Daniel playfully pulled her back for a kiss, locking his arms around her as she laughed into his lips, laughter that changed into a breathy moan as he opened his mouth and deepened the kiss.

Regina's hands moved up his chest, placing one over his heart and feeling it beat harder and faster as the other hand found his neck, caressing and teasing the skin with her nails, shivering when she felt a moan rumble through him.

When they broke apart, they were both breathing hard and their bodies were still pressed together, and when Regina looked into Daniels eyes she saw that they were dark with desire.

Just like hers, and she leaned in once again-

But then, somewhat unwillingly, Daniel pulled away from her.

"I...I'll see you tomorrow, Regina" he said.

"Oh" she said awkwardly "Yeah, sure" she nodded, he smiled back at her and started to walk down the path.

And in that moment, as he started to walk away, Regina made a decision. She took a couple of steps forward.

"Unless..." she called after him, and Daniel turned around.

"Unless?" he repeated, watching her eyes.

Regina swallowed, a small moment of doubt going through her. Was she really ready to do this?

But when she looked into Daniel's stunning, kind blue eyes, she knew.

He was the one.

And she forced herself to finish like she knew she wanted to.

"Unless you...want to stay the night?" she asked nervously.

Daniel's eyebrows shot into his forehead and his mouth almost flopped open like a complete moron. He had a strange impulse to ask her to repeat herself.

_Oh my God..._he thought slowly, _is she asking what I think she's asking?_

Slowly, hesitantly, he moved towards her. Regina shifted uncomfortably, waiting for his answer.

"Are...are you sure?" he asked her as he came closer.

Regina licked her lips, and nodded.

"I've never been more sure of anything" she whispered.

Once he was close enough, Daniel lowered his head and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, his hands going to her waist laying flat on her back.

After a while the kiss grew more intense, and Regina gripped Daniel's head with both hands and hungrily devoured his lips, her fingers tangling in his hair the same time his combed through her own dark locks.

Then, gently using her grip on his head to guide him, Regina pulled him into the dormitory.

_**O.k that was chapter 12! And this is the last one! NO MORE!**_

_**...Just kidding ;)**_

_**No no, this isn't the last chap, but unfortunately there is only one more to go until the students of Fairytale College go home for the holidays. I plan on tying up the loose ends left in this fic, including Snow White and James telling their parents she's pregnant (any suggestions for the outcome are welcome) **_

_**You must have the drill memorised by now but I'm telling you again anyway: Read, Review, and don't forget to tune in for the thirteenth and final chapter of Once Upon a Time: Schools Out!**_


	13. Notice

_**Yo!**_

_**O.k, this is not a chapter and I apologise, but I'd just thought that before I put up the next chap I would point out that while I was looking over previous chapters I discovered that I'd gotten how far along Snow White was in her pregnancy wrong by a week (she's still just over seven weeks and I had her at around two months)**_

_**So yeah, just a notice I put up to say that I'm gonna be correcting this mistake in the other chapters, and also so that hopefully no-ones confused by what's said in chapter 13.**_

_**Anyway, happy holidays, and I'll be updating as soon as I'm done with chapter 13.**_

_**MissiB x**_


	14. Chapter 13

_**Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time does not belong to me! All characters and references to the show belong to ABC and Channel 5**_

Once Upon a Time: School's Out! Chapter 13

He was sweating. His palms were clammy, and as James Nolan stood in front of the seated Mr Blanchard and Mrs Nolan next to Snow White-who was paler than her namesake-in Ms Gohrms English Lecture hall, he realised that he had never felt so scared in his life.

Mr Blanchard and Mrs Nolan sat in two of the classroom's front seats, waiting for their children to tell them why they were here.

Shakily, Snow White opened her mouth and spoke:

"Thanks for coming on such short notice" she said, her hands wringing as Mr Blanchard narrowed his eyes at her nervous tone.

"Snow, what's going on? Is everything O.k?" he asked, and Snow White licked her lips nervously. James took her hand, the warmth and comfort it brought giving her courage.

"The...the reason we called you here" she said, the words coming harder under her father's and James' mother's gaze "is because...is because..." she faltered, and James felt a wrench of empathy as he saw that she was visibly shaking.

She opened her mouth to speak, but James-despite his own fears-overtook her.

"Because we have something to tell you" he said, wrapping his arms around Snow White "Something...big"

At those words, Mrs Nolan's eyes narrowed at James in suspicion.

"James, what is it you have to tell us?"

Before James could answer, Snow White took a deep breath and just let out the news in a torrent.

"I'm pregnant!"

At her outburst, Mrs Nolan gasped in shock. She stared at Snow White's stomach in absolute horror.

"Oh God..." she whispered.

Reluctantly, James looked over at Mr Blanchard, and nearly had a heart attack there and then.

The mans face was slowly turning red, his fists were clenched and he was looking at James with a look so full of violence he almost flinched.

Quick as a flash, Mr Blanchard shot up in a movement so fast it was a blur, and punched James so hard in the face that he fell away from a horrified Snow White.

_"Father!"_ she cried, while James groaned on the floor.

_"You bastard!"_ he roared.

"Oh God!" Mrs Nolan cried again with her face in her hands. She looked at James as Snow White helped him to her feet:

"James!" she said "How could you have let this happen?!"

"That's exactly what I'd like to know!" Mr Blanchard yelled, looking ready to punch James all over again. He raised his hands to his face, groaning furiously.

When he lowered his hands, he stared at Snow White, horrified.

"_How?_ How could this have happened, Snow? I thought I'd taught you to _use protection!"_

"Oh God..." James groaned.

"Father!" Snow White went scarlet.

"Mr Blanchard I swear!" James cried "We...we took precautions!"

"Oh God..." Snow White groaned as Mr Blanchard snorted disbelievingly.

James turned away from him and looked at his mother, guilt crushing him as he looked into her hurt, worried eyes.

Any other time he would break down crying, begging for his mother to forgive him. But he couldn't do that now.

He looked down at Snow White. She looked like she was going to start crying at any moment.

He had to be strong for her.

So, James stood behind Snow White and placed his hands gently, comfortingly, on her shoulders. He then looked at their parents, trying not to react to Mr Blanchards look of fury and the tears his mother was trying to hold back.

James took a deep breath, trying to keep as calm as possible.

"Mom, Mr Blanchard, please listen to us. We know you're...angry and hurt, and you have every right to be" he paused, swallowing nervously as their looks intensified.

But then Snow White reached up and took one of his hands, and he let the warmth from her touch bring him courage.

"But...Mom, Mr Blanchard, Snow White and I are scared, O.k?" he confessed desperately as Snow White nodded in agreement.

"We're more scared than we've ever been in our lives"

The look's on their parent's faces softened. Mr Blanchards face slowly turned back to a flesh colour, and Mrs Nolans expression turned from horrified to compassionate.

James took this as a good sign, and sighed.

"And right now, we really need your help"

OUAT

Rumplestiltskin was sat in the library with his phone pressed to his ear, tensly tapping the wood on the table as he waited for the person on the other line to pick up the phone.

After the dance, Belle had asked him if he had told his parents about them yet. When he told her he hadn't, she'd smiled at him sympathetically:

_" Rumple...I know why you're less than eager to tell them, trust me! But...the sooner you tell them, the better, right?"_

He'd sighed then and nodded, promising her that he would tell them the next day.

And he was, now, sitting in the library, gripping the table so hard he nearly broke the wooden surface as he waited for someone to _pick up the phone!_

_Ring ring, ring ring, ring ring._

Rumplestiltskin started to drum his fingers against the table. Surely he could just tell Belle that his parents weren't home?

_Ring ring, ring ring, ring ring._

They weren't picking up. Rumplestiltskin prepared to hang up-

_"Hello?" _came a female voice from the other end of the phone, and Rumplestiltskin almost breathed out a sigh of relief. Instead of his intimidating father, it was the voice Katrina Gold.

_"Hello?" _she said again _"Who is this?"_

"It's Rumplestiltskin, Mum" he said into the phone.

_"Rumplestiltskin?" _his mother repeated, sounding mildly surprised _"Since when do YOU call home?"_

"Since I have something to say" he quipped, and she chuckled at him.

_"You watch your tone, my boy!" _she scolded good naturedly, her tone then became more serious _"So, what is it you have to say, son?"_

Rumplestiltskin hesitated, the confession he had to make jamming in his throat. Katrina Gold seemed to catch onto this.

_"Rum? Is something wrong? Has something happened?" _she asked, starting to sound worried, and Rumplestiltskin quickly reassured her.

"No, no! No nothing's wrong. This is just...it's something important that I have to tell you" he sighed.

_"Hm" _his mother said apprehensively "_Do you want me to get your father?"_

Rumplestiltskin jerked, barely stopping himself from screaming _NO! DON'T TELL DAD!_

As much as he wanted to, he had made a promise to Belle to tell his parents. And he never went back on his word.

"Yeah" he said, nodding "Go and get him" he added while his grip on the table tightened.

_"Mordred!" _Rumplestiltskin heard his mother's faint voice call _"Mordred, Rumplestiltskin's on the phone! He wants to talk to us, and he says it's important!"_

_"Tell him it can wait!" _Rumplestiltskin heard his father call back _"I'm busy!"_

Rumplestiltskin listened to the heavy silence that followed after his fathers statement-and he wasn't really surprised that his father was too busy for him, there was always something more important-after several minuets, he heard his mother take a deep breath.

_"Mordred" _her voice started off calm _"For the first time in years our eldest son has actually _asked _to speak to you. Now you either get your ARSE down here or I'll DRAG IT DOWN!"_

Rumplestiltskin suppressed a smirk that soon faded as he heard his fathers voice, no so close that he knew Mordred had picked up the phone.

_"Alright boy, what is it?" _he asked in a bored tone.

Rumplestiltskin's throat clenched. This was it, the moment of truth...

"C-can you put me on speakerphone, Dad?" he choked out "I want Mum to hear this too"

He waited until his father had done what he asked, he then fought down the stirring feelings of fear and panic that were threatening to show, and made his confession:

"...Do you remember the last time you visited me? And father asked if I had found a..._woman _yet?" he groaned inwardly at having to use his father's phrase before continuing:

"Well, when I told you I hadn't that...that wasn't true. I've been seeing someone for a few months now"

_"Aha!" _his father's shout came through the phone surprising Rumplestiltskin. If he didn't know any better, he'd say Mordred sounded..._proud._

_"Well, it's about time, boy!" _his father continued _"So, you've finally got together with the Mills girl?"_

_Oh, for the love of God _"No, Father" Rumplestiltskin said, and he could've sworn he could _feel _his father's shock and disappointment. His mother didn't say anything either.

Before either of them could say anything, Rumplestiltskin told them about Belle:

"Her name's Belle French, she's on some of my classes and she writes a column for the Mirror"

_"Belle French?"_ his father repeated dangerously _"I've never heard of her, Rumplestiltskin" _

_"Mordred..." _his wife tried to silence him, but he ignored her.

"_Is she rich? Does she come from a wealthy family?"_

Rumplestiltskin felt a surge of anger at that. Of course his father would only care about _money..._

"No!" he snapped "Not that it matters!"

"_Of course it matters!" _Mordred shouted angrily _"If you're going to be with someone, it should be someone who you can gain wealth from! Not some penniless whore who-"_

_"DON'T YOU DARE CALL HER A WHORE!" _Rumplestiltskin roared, causing the entire library to fall silent and stare at him. Not that he cared.

"Don't you dare talk about her like that-"

_"You little bastard, how DARE you speak to me in such a way!" _Mr Gold screamed down the phone, but Rumplestiltskin was in too much of a blind rage to care. He opened his mouth to scream back at him, but his mother's voice shouted at both of them:

_"STOP!" _she shouted, with such venom that both men immediately fell silent.

_"Right" _she continued, her voice calmer than before but still slightly frustrated.

"_First of all. Rumplestiltskin" _he tensed "_I'm glad you finally found someone. It's about time you found some happiness"_

_"Katrina-" _Mordred started while his son was rendered momentarily speechless "_Don't encourage-"_

_"No!" _Rumplestiltskin heard her silence him with a tone of furious finality "_No matter what you say, Mordred, the fact that Rumple has _finally _found someone to be with is a good thing no matter _how much _her family makes! Rumplestiltskin" _she said to him _"I've seen you at that College, making your way by profiting from other people's desperation, and I know that this Belle is good for you. You've been unhappy for far to long, my son"_

The corners of Rumplestiltskin's lips twitched, threatening to break out into an actual smile.

"Thanks, Mum" he replied in a relaxed breath.

However, he didn't allow himself to feel relieved, until he heard the same words (or something along those same lines) from his father.

Not the most realistic of things, but one could hope.

"...Father?" he said softly, and he heard Mordred sigh.

"_I suppose...if this is what you want, boy...then there is nothing I can do about it" _he told him begrudgingly.

_Yeah, like you won't try anything _Rumplestiltskin thought to himself.

But it was better than nothing, so he responded in kind:

"Thank-you Dad" he said.

_"Is that all you wanted to tell us?" _Mr Gold asked with a tone of impatience, and he heard his mother sigh irritably.

"Yes, Father" Rumplestiltskin answered.

"_Good" _and before Rumplestiltskin could say goodbye or even ask if he could talk to Baelfire, his father hung up the phone.

OUAT

"Mordred!" Katrina snapped after he hung up, and he turned to his wife's furious eyes.

"What?" he said tonelessly "He was finished, wasn't he?"

Katrina opened her mouth to utter a heated response, but just at that moment she heard Baelfire calling for her from the garden.

With one last scorching look at her husband, Katrina walked towards her youngest son's call.

For a moment, Mordred waited. After making sure she was completely out of ear-shot, he picked up the phone and started dialing a new number.

_The only way he's going to be with some slutty little reporter is over my dead body _he thought as the phone rang.

After several rings, someone with a deep, English accented voice answered the phone.

_"Hello?"_

_"_Edward Jones?" he said "This is Mordred Gold, I want to talk to you about you're daughter"

"_Milah?" _Jones said _"What about her?"_

"Just one question, Mr Jones" Mordred said, his voice coming out seductive, like he had an offer Jones couldn't refuse.

"How much would it take for you to enroll Milah at Fairytale College for the next semester?"

OUAT

"How far along are you?"

Snow White bit her lip, staring at the floor as she answered the fist question her father had asked in the past fifteen minuets:

"A-about seven weeks" she said, glancing up to Mr Blanchard breathing out heavily through his nose, his eyes clamped shut.

Snow White swallowed back the lump in her throat "Daddy" she whispered, and he looked at her.

"I'm so sorry" she whispered, her voice trembling and her eyes starting to fill with tears. A look of compassion came over Mr Blanchard's face, and he gently pulled his daughter away from James and into a comforting embrace.

"Oh Snow..." he sighed.

While that was going on, Mrs Nolan walked over to her son with a light expression of anger on her face. James braced himself.

However, instead of the torrent of rage that James had been dreading, Mrs Nolan mimicked Mr Blanchard, and pulled her tall son into a hug. He clung to her, relieved.

"Oh James..." she whispered into his ear "What are you going to do?"

James and Snow White pulled away from their parents, and Mrs Blanchard gave them both a stern but motherly look.

"Snow, James" she said, nodding at each of them "You know that we'll help you in any way we can"

"Of course" Mr Blanchard added, still sending daggers in James' direction. The bruise on James' cheek throbbed.

"But...do you know what you're getting yourselves into? Raising a baby, it's hard work!"

"Exactly!" Mr Blanchard put in "There are other options you could explore-"

"We're not getting an abortion!" Snow White snapped, her hands dropping to her stomach protectively. Mr Blanchard sighed.

"No" he said slowly "Of course not. But you could always put it up for adoption"

Snow White and James looked at each-other. Sure, they had talked about adoption, of course they had, but when Snow White had thought about giving up her own child...

"We talked about that" Snow White told her father "We want to keep it" she moved over to James and held his hand.

Mr Blanchard simply nodded, his lips pressed so firmly together that they were almost non-existent.

"James?" Mrs Nolan said, and James looked at his mother, who was still standing in front of him.

"Yes, Mom?"

She sighed "Parenthood is a huge responsibility, son. Are you sure that this is what you want?"

James looked down at Snow White, and she looked up at him, her shining green eyes suddenly scared. He smiled down at her, squeezing her hand as he looked confidently back at Mrs Nolan.

"Absolutely"

OUAT

It was quite late in the morning when Regina finally awoke in her bed, squinting in the brightness of the sunlight that streamed through the window that she had forgotten to draw curtains over.

Normally, a thing like that would have frustrated her to no end, and put her in a bad mood that she would have vented on anyone who had the nerve to cross her path.

But not that morning.

Slowly, carefully, Regina turned onto her left side until she was looking into the slightly flushed, still sleeping features of Daniel Hay, watching as he softly breathed in and out.

Regina smiled contently, reaching out a hand to gently caress his cheek as she recalled the events of last night. Every kiss, every sigh, every touch...

Daniel stirred under her hand and Regina reluctantly removed it, not wanting this moment to end just yet.

As he slept, Regina pulled herself up onto her elbow, keeping the bedsheet clutched around her torso as she looked down at Daniel's slumbering form. From where she had pulled up the sheet she could see everything down to his waist. She stared down at him, unable to look away his surprisingly muscled torso, still slightly unable to believe that last night had actually happened, that this...that _he _was now hers.

Daniel stirred again, and Regina led back down as he opened his eyes. He looked at her and smiled sleepily.

"'Morning" he said, his voice thick with drowsiness as he stretched his arms above him.

Regina chuckled softly "Good morning" she whispered.

Lowering his arms, Daniel cupped Regina's soft cheek in his hand, much like she had done a few seconds ago. She stared into his blue eyes, and wondered if he was remembering the previous night too.

Regina moved closer to him, pressing her lips softly to his. He responded immediately, the hand that was on her cheek slipping to the back of her neck, the other pulling her body so that it was pressing up against his. She heard him moan as her fingernails started to trace his chest...

Then, abruptly, Daniel pulled away.

"What time is it?" he asked. Feeling a little put out, Regina glanced behind her at her alarm clock:

"Almost midday"

"Oh" he said calmly, both of his hands going to Regina's back "I'm two hours late for work"

Regina raised an eyebrow, a small grin creeping onto her face "Well, hadn't you better get going?" she said.

Daniel shrugged, lifting his head closer to Regina's until they were sharing breath. From beneath her hands Regina could feel his heart rate increase.

"I think I'll just call in sick" he whispered, and Regina closed the distance between them.

OUAT

"We'll continue this when you come home next week" Mr Blanchard said to Snow White, eyeing James as he did so "We can talk about what we're gonna do then"

Snow White nodded, hugging her father. They were just outside of the College gates with Mrs Nolan, and they were stood outside Mr Blanchards car.

"I'll see you then, father" Snow White said as she pulled away. Mr Blanchard tried a weak smile before gently caressing his daughters face before he got into his car, glaring at James one last time as he did so.

"I love you, Snow" he called, and Snow White nodded.

"I love you too, Father" she smiled, waving as he drove away.

Mrs Nolan then came up to them, the stern look still in her eye, and her arms crossed over her chest. Snow White tensed.

Mrs Nolan however, only had eyes for her son. She took one of her hands in his.

"I meant what I said before, James" she said "I'm going to help you-both of you" she briefly looked at Snow White "Every way I can. You won't be alone in this"

Much like Snow White before, James smiled at his mother. He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek.

"Thanks, Mom"

Mrs Nolan smiled back at her son, she then got into her own car and, with a quick goodbye to both of them, she drove away from the College.

For a while, Snow White and James stared after them. Then, Snow White looked up at her love.

"Well, that's one problem down"

James looked confused "What do you mean?" he asked, and Snow White sighed.

"When we come back from the holidays. I'm gonna be starting to...show" she said, a hand going to her still-flat stomach.

"People might start to talk" she sighed, and James finally understood what she was saying. He gripped Snow White's shoulders and turned her to fully face him, looking directly into her vibrant green eyes.

"Snow White, you listen to me. If anyone, _anyone, _says anything to you or gives you _any _kind of crap about this, then they're gonna have to deal with _me" _ he said firmly, the conviction of his oath beaming from his eyes.

Snow White smiled, and pecked him on the lips. "Thanks, Charming"

Charming smiled then too, his grip loosening from Snow White's shoulders until it was affectionate instead of forceful.

"Besides" he said "We don't have to worry about that until _after _the holidays are over"

Snow White chuckled, it sounded so simple and carefree when he said it like that.

"Yeah" she nodded "I won't worry until then"

OUAT

Next week was the end of the semester, and the students of Fairytale College were packed up and prepared to go home for the Christmas holidays. Several of them were stood outside the College gate, waiting for their parents to pick them up.

OUAT

Regina watched as Snow White kissed James goodbye before she climbed into her father's car. She heard them promising to meet up sometime in the next few days before Mr Blanchard drove his daughter away from the building. Normally, a sight like that would've made her want to retch but now...

It still made her want to retch, but not as much.

"Hey"

Regina turned to the direction of Daniel's voice, briefly remembering a time when it had been Gene who had waited here with her, year after year talking relentlessly in a bid to gain her affections.

But that was different now. As she glanced over Daniels's shoulder, she could see that Gene had found someone else to worship. If the way that his face was being eaten by Maleficent Pyro was anything to go by.

"Difficult to believe that _Maleficent _has become so taken with a simple Newsletter writer" she said, not really paying attention to what Daniel was saying.

"What?" she said, turning her attention back to him. He sighed.

"You still hate Snow White, don't you?" he asked.

Regina narrowed her eyes at him "Daniel" she said seriously "Snow White _ruined _my life. She sent me to the asylum and I...I can't forgive her for that"

"You need to _forget _about her!" Daniel told her, gently cupping her chin "What happened is in the past, you can forget about that. Move on"

"I have" Regina said, taking Daniel's hand away from her face. He looked confused.

"I said that I can't forgive her, Daniel" Regina explained "But...I don't hate her anymore" she looked around behind her, taking in James, waiting patiently for his Mom to pick him up. Ruby and Peter, laughing at something Thomas said while Ella blushed, and finally, Belle and Rumplestiltskin, who was trying to talk her out of coming to see him during the holidays.

Regina looked back at Daniel, shrugging "I might not like these people, Daniel but...I don't hate them anymore. I don't hate anyone anymore"

Daniel smiled proudly, a hand curling against her cheek. It would've been a perfect moment had he not then whispered:

"Not even your mother?"

Regina's entire body jerked, her stomach became stone and her heart missed so many beats she had no clue as to how she was still standing.

Her mother...her mother who was determined for her to achieve greatness...her mother who was willing to go to any lengths to get that greatness...

Her mother, who would _never, _not in a thousand life-times, approve of a simple, penniless bus-boy like Daniel Hay.

"Regina?"

Regina looked up at him, panic flooding her face "Daniel, my mother-"

At that moment a car horn tooted behind her, and Regina turned to see her mother's car starting to move next to the pavement where she and Daniel were stood. From her position Regina could see her mother in the drivers seat.

"Oh God..." she whispered, overwhelming fear rushing through her. Quickly, before Cora Mills could register who she was with, she rapidly spoke:

"Daniel, listen to me. My mother can never know about us!"

The statement was met by a look of surprise "Regina, what-"

"I'm sorry!" she cried "but she just can't. She has a very specific life plan for me and if she knew about this" she gestured between them "There's no telling what she would do to destroy it"

Daniel looked confused. He glanced up at Cora's car, which was coming ever closer.

"Regina" he said again, but she was already moving away from him.

"I'm sorry!" she called "I...I'll call you later"

She then walked over to her mothers car and climbed in the back seat. As Cora pulled the car away from the building, Regina looked out of the car window where Daniel was still stood. She sent him a regretful look.

"Regina" Mrs Mills stated her name, and Regina automatically looked towards the back of her mother's head.

"Yes, Mother?"

"Who was that...boy?" Cora's voice was tinted with suspicion. Regina inwardly cursed.

She shook her head, keeping her expression dumb.

"No-one, Mother"

OUAT

"People are _still _staring at us" Belle said, glancing over at Jiminy Cricket and Pinocchio Booth, who's were not-so-subtly looking in Belle and Rumplestiltskin's direction as they carried out a conversation.

"Are they now?" Rumplestiltskin said, whipping his head around to the Cricket and Booth. They quickly looked away and tried to remember what they had been talking about to begin with.

Belle suddenly chuckled "It's going to take a while to get used to this next semester"

"Used to what?"

Belle shrugged "Being out in the open...Not keeping this a secret. Our _parents _knowing" she giggled in disbelief "I just can't believe that...Rumple?"

At the mention of their parents, Rumplestiltskin's rare smile had disappeared, and he now had a faraway look in his eyes that told Belle that he was no longer following the conversation.

"Rumplestiltskin!" Belle said loudly, and he jerked his head back to her. She frowned.

"Rumple...everything _is _O.k with your parents, right?" Belle asked, sounding a little suspicious "You said everything was fine"

Rumplestiltskin opened his mouth to lie, to reassure her that nothing was wrong, and his superficial, prejudice father was perfectly O.k with dating a newsletter column writer...

O.k, lying wasn't going to work.

"Belle, my father is a particular kind of man, he believes that...when choosing a partner, you should choose someone who can help you move up in the financial chain"

Belle still looked confused "But...you said he was fine with this. With us"

"That's what he _said, _Belle. But I know my father, and right now, he's probably working out the best way to break us up"

"But you're his son!" Belle cried "Surely he cares about your happiness?"

Rumplestiltskin laughed "My happiness?" he repeated "Belle, my father hasn't cared about my happiness since the day I was born"

Belle bit her lip "But he can't do anything, can he? He won''t try and pull _you _out of Fairytale will he?" she clutched his upper arm as though she could keep him there through sheer strength. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.

"No Belle. He's never that straightforward. He'll do something much more cunning to get you out of the picture"

"Well, it's not going to work!" Belle said determinedly "Whatever he does, it wont keep me from you"

She then stretched upwards and kissed him fiercely, her hands going to his hair as his wrapped around her waist.

A sudden, loud and sharp tooting caused them to break apart and Belle turned to see to her burning embarrassment, Maurice French, in his car, staring at Belle and her boyfriend like he wanted to hit something. Probably the boyfriend.

"Hi Papa!" Belle called, her voice slightly shrill while Rumplestiltskin smirked. As Belle picked up her bags, he grinned at Maurice and waved.

"Rumple!" Belle hissed. Rumplestiltskin shrugged innocently and then helped her bring her things to the car.

After her things were piled into the boot, Belle waited until Mr French was back in the car to kiss Rumplestiltskin one more time.

"Whatever your father is planning" she said when she pulled away "It's not going to work. I love you, Rumplestiltskin Gold, and that won't change"

After Mr French had driven Belle away, Rumplestiltskin leaned on the railing of the College gate, staring after the car that carried his true love.

"I hope not, Belle" he whispered so that no-one could hear the weak fear in his voice "I hope not"

_**Right, that's it, my School's Out! Fic is officially done! Don't worry though, I won't leave you wanting because I AM planning on doing a sequal in the future.**_

_****__**By the way just thought I'd mention that I'm sorry this chap took so long to update but lets face it it's Christmas and I've been busy.**_

_**As this is the end of this fic, I would just like to give a huge shout-out to all those who supported me in every chapter of this little piece of fan-fiction, because you're all brilliant and your taste in fiction is impeccable:**_

_**SabreDae, BeachLover99130, RainMirror, MyraValhallah, Ary, nahbois68, reviewer, NCISGleek, Madame Jasper, Guest, Grace5231973, Skylie XD, Punkmusic4ever, geller516, Leafena, Readerpossessed, swingstate14, tonguemarksonmymirror, Diejj, Julie Winchester, Girlyemma96, and last, but by no means least, Magic Iris.**_

_**Thanks for your amazing support, your incredibly kind comments, and your wonderfully weird usernames. They meant the world to me (the comments, not the names) and I hope you enjoyed this final chapter.**_


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